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Red Sunset MapleAcer rubrum ‘Franksred’
Red Sunset is a red maple cultivar with superior fall color and good branch structure. Winter buds, clusters of small winter spring flowers, leaf stems, twigs, and winged summer fruits are all reddish colored. The glossy green leaves persist on the tree turning orange-red to brilliant red in the fall. Red Sunset grows moderately fast, 45'-50' high with a 35'-40' spread. It adapts to a wide range of climates and soils, but requires acid soil and is salt-sensitive. It prefers a moist site and tolerates full sun to partial shade. zones 4-8.
Hardiness Zones
The red sunset maple can be expected to grow in Hardiness Zones 4–8. View Map
Tree Type
Mature Size
The red sunset maple grows to a height of 45–50' and a spread of 35–40' at maturity.
Growth Rate
This tree grows at a medium to fast rate, with height increases of anywhere from 13" to more than 24" per year.
Sun Preference
Full sun and partial shade are best for this tree, meaning it prefers a minimum of four hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.
Soil Preference
The red sunset maple grows in acidic, loamy, moist, sandy, silty loam, well-drained, wet and clay soils.
Attributes
This tree:
- Provides superior fall color, with leaves turning vibrant shades of orange and red.
- Is often the first to color up in the autumn.
- Produces red clusters of small flowers winter to spring.
- Features simple, medium to dark green leaves 2–6" in length with 3 or 5 lobes and sinuses that are irregularly toothed.
- Yields winged summer fruit that is reddish in color.
- Develops a good branch structure.
- Has strong wood.
- Grows in a pyramidal to rounded shape.
- Is salt-sensitive.
Wildlife Value
The fruit is popular with squirrels and birds.
History/Lore
This cultivar was introduced in 1966 by J. Frank Schmidt and Son in Boring, OR.