Red maple (Acer rubrum 'Brandywine')
Acer rubrum 'Brandywine' is a seedless Red maple prized for brilliant scarlet fall color; low maintenance and handles wet soil.
Scroll down to discover growing tips, care requirements, companion plants, and more
Complete Plant Information
Overview
Acer rubrum ‘Brandywine’, a distinguished cultivar of the Red maple, offers gardeners exceptional, reliable scarlet fall color, making it a standout specimen tree. This deciduous tree matures to a mid-sized height, developing an appealing rounded to oval crown suitable for various landscape placements. It maintains a low maintenance profile while providing vibrant seasonal interest, derived from its characteristic red in buds, twigs, and flowers across the season.
The Acer rubrum ‘Brandywine’ selection is particularly valued because it is a sterile, male selection, meaning it produces no messy, winged samaras (fruit) after flowering. This makes the Red maple highly adaptable for use near sidewalks or patios. Furthermore, this cultivar exhibits consistently intense foliage color year after year, surpassing the variability often found in the overall species.
As a fast-growing tree relative to Sugar and Norway maples, it establishes structure quickly, lending beauty and shade to parks and streets. Its inherent hardiness and tolerance for challenging conditions, including wet soils and air pollution, secure its place as a versatile and dependable landscape asset.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Sapindaceae
- Plant Type: Tree
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 4-9
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 35-50 ft
- Spread: 25-40 ft
- Bloom Time: March to April
- Bloom Description: Red
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Water Needs: Medium to wet
- Maintenance Level: Low
How to Grow
Planting should occur preferably in spring or early fall when the tree is dormant, allowing it to establish roots before facing summer heat or winter cold. Acer rubrum ‘Brandywine’ thrives in average, medium to wet, well-drained soil. While tolerant of various soil types, it performs best in slightly acidic conditions. Ensure the planting site receives full sun to partial shade exposure for optimal growth and color development.
Watering is crucial during the first few growing seasons to help the tree establish a robust root system. While this Red maple exhibits medium to wet water needs, once established, it handles periodic dryness but performs best with consistent moisture, particularly in dryer climates. Generally, established trees require little fertilization; focus on maintaining good soil health. Pruning should be minimal, primarily restricted to removing crossing or damaged branches in the dormant season (late winter).
This variety is known for being very cold hardy, making it reliable across its designated hardiness range of Zones 4 through 9. Pay attention to its critical root structure; due to its somewhat shallow, flattened root system, avoid planting it directly adjacent to paved surfaces liable to buckle under pressure.
Landscape Uses
Acer rubrum ‘Brandywine’ excels wherever a reliable, visually striking, seedless shade tree is required. It is an excellent choice as a specimen tree on residential lawns, providing both substantial summer shade and outstanding autumn drama. Its tolerance for street conditions makes it a prime candidate for urban planting projects, serving as a dependable Street Tree.
For water-oriented landscapes, the Red maple is highly recommended for Rain Garden designs, as it naturally tolerates periods of saturated soil conditions better than many other shade trees. When designing borders or mixed plantings, pair the intense scarlet and reddish-purple of the ‘Brandywine’ fall foliage with plants that offer contrasting late-season textures or yellows, such as ornamental grasses or late-blooming chrysanthemums.
Gardeners must be mindful of its aggressive, shallow root system when defining placement. To mitigate potential sidewalk lifting, plant the Acer rubrum ‘Brandywine’ further away from hardscaping or utilize root barriers if necessary during initial installation.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Insignificant
Noteworthy Characteristics
Acer rubrum, commonly called red maple, is a medium-sized, deciduous tree that is native to Eastern North America from Quebec to Minnesota south to Florida and eastern Texas. It typically grows 40-60’ tall with a rounded to oval crown. Emerging new growth leaves, leafstalks, twigs, flowers, fruit and fall color are red or tinged with red. The variety ‘Brandywine’ is a male selection (seedless) that typically matures to 35-50’ tall, featuring brilliant scarlet fall color that consistently develops into a reddish-purple. This reliable quality color resulted from a specific cross made by the U. S. National Arboretum.
Tolerances
- Wet Soil
- Air Pollution
Potential Problems
Like many maples, you should watch for potential insect pests such as aphids, leafhoppers, borers, scale, and caterpillars, which can impact aesthetic quality. Fungal issues like canker, fungal leaf spot, and root rots may afflict the tree, especially if drainage is poor or stress is high. Verticillium wilt is a serious pathogen that attacks the vascular system and can be fatal to the tree if infection occurs. Always inspect for broken or weak branches following severe wind or ice storms. Positively, the Acer rubrum ‘Brandywine’ exhibits significant resistance to potato leafhopper damage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Red maple suitable for?
The Acer rubrum ‘Brandywine’ is generally suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 4 through 9.
How large does Acer rubrum ‘Brandywine’ grow?
This cultivar typically reaches mature heights between 35 to 50 feet tall, with a spread ranging from 25 to 40 feet wide.
What sun exposure does Acer rubrum ‘Brandywine’ need?
This Red maple variety prefers full sun conditions but will also tolerate partial shade, though maximum fall color usually develops in the sunniest locations.
When does Acer rubrum ‘Brandywine’ bloom?
The tree produces its characteristic red flowers in late winter to early spring, typically blooming between March and April before the leaves fully emerge.
Conclusion
The Acer rubrum ‘Brandywine’ offers gardeners a superior, low-maintenance shade tree solution, celebrated for its consistent, brilliant scarlet fall display and its practical, seedless nature. This Red maple variety successfully bridges aesthetic demands with functional street tree requirements, handling moderate moisture levels with ease. Before planting, confirm that your site falls within USDA Zones 4-9 and plan placement carefully to avoid conflicts with paving due to its root system.
Companion Planting
When selecting companions for your Acer rubrum ‘Brandywine’, prioritize plants that tolerate its moisture needs and slight acidity. Consider planting low-growing, moisture-loving perennials like Hosta varieties with chartreuse or silver foliage beneath its canopy to offset the summer greens and autumn reds. For year-round interest or foundation plantings near the perimeter of its drip line, evergreens such as Rhododendrons or Azaleas thrive in the dappled shade that this deciduous Red maple casts later in the growing season.
Wildlife Benefits
While Acer rubrum ‘Brandywine’ is a male selection and does not produce seed-bearing fruit, it still provides important ecological structure for local wildlife. The early red flowers, appearing significantly before leaf-out in March and April, provide one of the first available nectar sources for emerging spring pollinators, including early bees. Furthermore, the dense branching structure of this medium-sized tree offers excellent protective cover and nesting sites for small songbirds throughout the year.
