Red maple: varieties and recommendations for growing

Probably the most popular ornamental tree in Japan (after sakura) is the red maple. In October, the Japanese admire how its leaves turn from the usual green to bright red, and the time of year when the maple changes its dress is called Momiji. Interesting varieties will be considered below, and recommendations for growing maple will be given.

This tree spread from North America. Its Latin name is Acer rubrum, where acer means sharp, wedge-shaped. Belongs to the deciduous family, it can grow up to 28 meters in height, the trunk width reaches about one and a half meters in diameter. The crown has a tent-like shape (like mushroom caps) - sometimes oval.

Serrated leaves in summer have a greenish color on the outside, and on the back - a whitish tint. In autumn, substances such as anthocyanins and carotenoids are released in red maple, these pigments give color (warm shades of red and yellow) to the foliage of the tree. The bark is gray-brown and sometimes light silvery. Maple is beautiful not only in autumn: its picturesque red flowers bloom in May.

Maple is widely distributed in Canada, USA, Russia, Japan and other countries. It easily adapts to different natural conditions: it grows in swampy and arid soils. He is not afraid of the conditions of a big city. Decorative species are often used in landscape design: whole alleys are planted from maple, gardens and bonsai are created.

About 20 species of this wonderful plant grow in our country. (the total population is 150-160 varieties). Four of them are found in the European part of Russia, the rest - in the Far East and the Caucasus, and among them is the endangered variety Acer japonicum.

We list the most interesting types of red maple, which decorate houses, gardens and parks.

• Sun Valley - undersized (no more than 7 m) and slow-growing tree. In early spring, scarlet inflorescences bloom. The crown is symmetrical, in the form of an oval. In autumn, the leaves change from green to purplish red and become shiny. Loves light, is not afraid of drought and frost.
• "Otom Flame" - a medium tree (reaches a height of 14-15 m), originally from America. The crown has a spherical shape and spreads up to 15 m wide. In autumn, the leaves remain red for a long time with orange splashes. Ideal for creating alleys.
• "Oktober Glory" - a bright representative of red maples. It grows up to 15 m, but rarely. The branching of the crown is uniform, in the form of a pyramid. The foliage is green with a glossy shade, and with the onset of cold weather it acquires a pink-red color. Dislikes heat and drought.

• Red Sunset Is a popular variety bred in the United States. Reaches 18 m in height. The bark is a very pleasant gray color. The leaves are larger than those of other species, fall late and turn bright red against the backdrop of snow-covered parks. The tree loves light and is not afraid of even severe frosts.
• Royal Red - holly tree, average height - 15 m. In May, yellowish flowers bloom. The crown is in the form of a pyramid and heterogeneous. In the summer season, the leaves are brown, purple in color, and turn red in the fall. Looks perfect against the background of coniferous trees.

• "Brandywine" - a small tree up to 9 m in height, the crown has an oval shape. In autumn, green leaves gradually change color to orange, then turn red and do not fly around for a long time. It tolerates moisture well.
• Japan is growing dwarf palm maple, its height rarely exceeds 2 m. Crohn's is asymmetric. The leaves are fan-shaped - red in summer and purple in autumn. Some craftsmen grow trees with blue foliage using the bonsai technique. Japanese maples are very decorative and do not survive in severe or prolonged frosts.

Almost any soil is suitable for growing red maple. The black soil of the south of Russia and the loam of the Moscow region are also suitable. Almost all of the above species tolerate the winter season well. The place for planting must be chosen in the penumbra of the garden, it must be quiet: although decorative maples are hardy, they do not like the wind.

Maple is best planted in mid-spring. If you plan to plant more than one seedling, then the distance between the holes should be at least 1.5 m.The depth of the hole is usually no more than 70 cm, but it is worth watching the root collar of the plant (this is the place where the roots go into the trunk). It should be level with the ground. If the collar comes out of the ground too much (more than 5 cm), the roots of the tree may dry out.

If the maple is planted in a damp place (high groundwater level), then drainage must be carried out, otherwise the tree will rot. After all the preparations, the seedling is immersed in a hole, a mixture of humus and peat is added and about 20 liters of water are poured.

There are small ornamental maple species (the same Japanese) that do great as indoor plants. Such bright trees are a wonderful decoration for loggias and terraces.

They are planted in large clay or plastic tubs. Sod land is mixed with peat when planting. Fertilization of the land occurs once at the end of May. In the warm season, indoor maple is watered once a week, and in the cold season - once a month.

For planting by seeds, for example, the Asian ginnala maple is suitable. It is a beautiful and unassuming tree that is often used in landscape design.

The area for planting seeds should be sunny, and the soil should be loose and fertilized. In nature, maple seeds ripen at the end of summer, then fall and sprout in the spring. Therefore, the material should be planted that has undergone stratification (imitation of winter conditions for seeds).

The sprouted maple sprouts are planted on the garden bed in depressions of about 3 cm, and the soil is watered with warm water. The first shoots will appear in 2-3 weeks. After 3 years, the mature maple will be ready for transplanting.

Red maple seedlings require some maintenance. Every spring, a young tree needs to be fed with mineral fertilizers. Be sure to add: superphosphate (35-50 g), urea (40 g) and potassium salt (20-25 g). In the summer season, the land around the seedling must be carefully loosened and a complex fertilizer must be added (110 mg of Fertika).

Although maple tolerates dry soil well, a young tree is watered whenever possible every half month. Used when watering about 17 liters of warm water. In spring, the land where the maple grows needs to be mulched with peat.

Winter is a dangerous time for the maple tree, which is just starting to grow. The first thing to do is to cover the tree with spruce or pine branches at the root. This precaution will preserve the seedling if the winter is too cold or there is little snow. Then you should wrap the stem (trunk from the ground to the first branch of the crown) with a dense cloth, without pulling the twine.Frozen shoots must be removed.

4 years after planting, when the plant gets stronger, fertilizers are applied every 2 years. Fortified maple does not require any special care: even decorative species get along well in wild forests. What can we say about a cozy garden, where there is an attentive owner who protects the tree from various adversities.

In order for the red maple to remain truly decorative, a lot of attention should be paid to its crown. There are three trim options:

• diseased, damaged and dry branches are cut off;
• formative pruning, in which, by pruning branches, an attractive appearance of the crown of the tree is created;
• anti-aging pruning is a comprehensive measure for old trees.

Maple is pruned from late August to December. Only experienced gardeners prune maple trees in early spring. Wounds on the bark and branch cuts are covered with a special garden putty - it will protect the tree from pests. All cuts are made at an angle.

Forming a beautiful crown requires experience and creativity. Professional gardeners trim the red maple to create incredible shapes.

Maple reproduces well by seeds. The planting process was discussed above, but here we will consider stratification. The first method is to collect seeds from the mother tree and sow in the fall them in the seedling bed. In winter, natural processes will take place, and in spring the seeds will sprout.

The second method is artificial. Peat moss, sand and vermiculite are introduced into a tight plastic bag with a fastener. Add some water. Then about 30 healthy seeds are packed in bags (manipulations are performed with sterile gloves). Each bag is gently smoothed to remove air.

The packages are stored in the refrigerator at a temperature not lower than +1 and not higher than +5. Most maple seeds only need 3 or 4 months of age. If everything went well and the seeds have sprouted, they can be planted in the ground.

Red maple can be propagated by cuttings, but the rooting rate is low. The season for cuttings is the beginning of autumn. Shoots 25 cm long are cut at an angle, leaving a couple of leaves on them, then kept in a special solution ("Heteroauxin" and others) for 24 hours for root growth.

Cuttings are planted in light and moist soil: the ratio of soil, peat and sand is 2: 1: 1 or 3: 2: 1. In the spring, they are transplanted into fresh soil.

Another breeding method is vaccination. A stalk or bud is grafted onto a stock of the same species. The best time is spring and early summer.

An autumn well-groomed maple tree in the garden is a fascinating picture, but it will cease to please the eye if the tree gets sick. Powdery mildew is the most common maple disease that can cause it to dry out. It appears as a white bloom on the leaves. To cure a tree, you need to remove the infected shoots, treat the wounds with garden varnish and disinfect them. Another method of struggle is prophylactic spraying of maple with antifungal agents (fungicides) or copper sulfate.

The next attack is black spot. It affects the leaves, protruding on them with dark spots. The tree loses its decorative qualities. They fight it in the same ways as with powdery mildew.

The plant also has enough pests. Weevils, whiteflies, mealybugs and other insects can seriously harm the tree. The main way in the fight against this scourge is spraying with insectoacaricides (familiarity with the instructions and compliance with safety rules are mandatory). If the infection occurred in the fall, then the leaves are destroyed.

For an overview of the Japanese decorative red maple, see the following video.