Autumn Blaze Maple (Acer x freemanii ‘Jeffersred’)
Fast growth and unbeatable fall color!
- Hardiness Zone: 3 to 8
- Height: 40-55’
- Spread: 30-40’
- Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
- Fall Color: Orange-Red/Scarlet
- Bloom Color: Greenish-Yellow to Red. Insignificant flowering.
Why We Love It:
Autumn Blaze Maples are known for their deciduous foliage producing vibrant fall color. The Autumn Blaze Maple is a hybrid that combines some of the best qualities of red maples (Acer rubrum) and silver maples (Acer saccharinum). It has the more strongly attached branches of the red maple, the fast growth rate of a silver maple, and a decreased susceptibility to chlorosis (yellowing leaves) than either parent species. This cultivar produces minimal fruit (helicopter seeds!).
Know Before You Plant:
The ideal planting site will have moist, well-drained soil and full sun exposure. Keep in mind your Autumn Blaze Maple will grow to be quite large and should be given ample space!
Young trees are susceptible to leaf hoppers. Mature trees will benefit from being maintained by an arborist to prune branches as necessary.
Autumn Blaze Maples prefer neutral to mildly acidic soil. Most of Waukesha County trends alkaline. They can be susceptible to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage if planted in soil with very high pH. This cultivar is more tolerant of alkaline soil than some other maple cultivars.
Where It Thrives:
These trees thrive in a variety of locations including in a lawn, park, wide median, and city parkway or street.
A Little History:
The Freeman Maple was developed by Oliver Freeman of the U.S. National Arboretum in 1933. The Autumn Blaze cultivar is one type of Freeman Maple. It was discovered by Glenn Jeffers in the 1960s, also at the U.S. National Arboretum. Jeffers is the origin of the cultivar name “Jeffersred.”
