Being a brand based in Canada, we can’t help but love maple trees! Of course, we love all trees, but maples are among our favorites. They can be enormous or small depending on the type and erupt each fall in many different vibrant colors. But when it comes to fall colors, some maples are better than others. These are the best maple trees for fall color.
Planning to plant a tree? Read our tutorial on how to plant a tree.
Japanese maple
There are a wide variety of Japanese maple trees, which all yield different colors of fall foliage. Japanese maples tend to grow smaller, which make them a great addition to a container garden. They’re also slow growing, topping out usually at around 15-20 feet depending on the variety. These trees do better in zones 5 to 8.
Striped mapl
Striped maples are a maple tree native to the northeast US and southeast Canada. Their leaves turn a delightful yellow color in the fall. They’re relatively small, maxing out at about 30 feet tall. Pruning it will help maintain a smaller size if that’s what’s desired.
Autumn blaze maple
Who would have thought that a tree called the Autumn Blaze maple would be a good tree for fall foliage? These trees grow to be fairly large, 40 to 50 feet on average, and are an excellent shade tree. Their leaves turn a bright red color in the fall.
Sugar maple
I get hungry just thinking about sugar maples. Their sap makes some of the sweetest syrup around! They also grow to be very large, up to 75 feet tall, and erupt in oranges and reds during the fall. It’s cold hardy too, thriving well in zones 3 to 8. Just give it plent yof space to grow, it’s a big tree!
Norway maple
The Noray maple is an incredibly hardy tree, thriving well in zones 4 to 8. It also does well in cities, handling stressors like air pollution that might stunt and kill other trees. These trees grow to be about 50 feet tall and turn red and orange in the fall.
American Red maple
What color do you suppose the red maple turns in the fall? Not only does the American red maple have red leaves, but it also has red flowers in the spring! It’s a fast growing maple, adding 2-3 feet of growth each year. It’ll top out at about 60 feet tall. It handles cold and hot weather alike, thriving in zones 4 to 8. Although its spring and fall colors are red, expect a deep, rich green leaf during the summer.
Amur maple
Amur maples are another type of maple tree that doesn’t grow particularly large, so it’s great for smaller spaces. Like Japanese maples, Amur maples can be grown in containers. Their maximum height is around 20 feet. They thrive in zones 2 to 8, but are considered invasive in some places. Their leaves turn a dark red color in the fall.
