![]() It has a high canopy with a typical clearance of 8 feet from the ground, and should not be planted underneath power lines. It has no significant negative characteristics.Īutumn Blaze Maple is recommended for the following landscape applications Īutumn Blaze Maple will grow to be about 50 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 40 feet. This is a relatively low maintenance tree, and should only be pruned in summer after the leaves have fully developed, as it may 'bleed' sap if pruned in late winter or early spring. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition. The furrowed gray bark and brick red branches add an interesting dimension to the landscape.Īutumn Blaze Maple is a deciduous tree with an upright spreading habit of growth. The fruit is not ornamentally significant. It features showy red flowers along the branches in early spring before the leaves. The lobed leaves turn an outstanding red in the fall. With this particular tree we will reduce (shorten) branches competing with the central trunk in order to encourage the central trunk or leader to assume the dominant position in the tree (see below photos). By reducing competing leaders you minimize the risk of branch failure and redirect energy from those branches by removing live tissue.Autumn Blaze Maple has green foliage throughout the season. The cables provide extra support for the weak v-shaped branch unions that are synonymous with Autumn Blaze maple trees. These are branches are most susceptible to high-wind branch failure, also know as sail effect. So this tree needs some extra TLC in the form of dynamic support cables. ![]() In the photos above, the lower branches have strong open unions, while the upper branches that look like v's have included bark. Included bark is bark wedged between a v-shaped branch union of co-dominant stems. Since the upper canopy has never been pruned, all its major branch unions (where they connect to the trunk) have developed significant cracks due to included bark. This blog features a 14” diameter Autumn Blaze maple that has been growing for 15+ years (see below photos). Unmaintained trees develop weak branch attachments (cracks) prone to failure, which ultimately can mean losing the entire tree. I’m not exaggerating here, they really do need regular care in order to stay in your landscape long-term. If an Autumn Blaze maple tree has been in your landscape for more than five to tens years without any structural or upper canopy pruning, please contact a certified arborist ASAP because these trees require regular pruning. Canopy Maintenance Prevents Broken Branches For a discussion on roots and root zones check out some of our other blogs related to that topic. The two major maintenance issues for this tree deal with the roots and the canopy. Regular pruning helps keep the structure of the tree sound and prevent some of the issues discussed/illustrated below. I planted an Autumn Blaze at my parent’s house 15 years ago and I prune it every year! My dad is always amazed at how much wood I remove from the tree on a yearly basis. ![]() Maintaining autumn blaze maples requires regular pruning every 3 to 5 years. To avoid problems with Autumn Blaze maple trees, property owners must invest in regular tree care. The tree tends to crack easily at branch unions, which leads to broken branches and property damage after even mild storms. The big drawback of the Autumn Blaze maple is its structural weakness. In addition, the Autumn Blaze is very hardy and can withstand a wide range of climatic conditions. The combination has been popular for 20 years in commercial and residential plantings thanks to the combination of gorgeous fall color and rapid growth - exactly what homeowners are seeking. The Autumn Blaze maple tree is a hybrid species comprised of half red maple and half silver maple.
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