Gardening Trees, Shrubs & Vines Trees 15 of the Prettiest Types of Maple Trees to Plant in Your Yard By Viveka Neveln Viveka Neveln Instagram Viveka Neveln is the Garden Editor at BHG and a degreed horticulturist with broad gardening expertise earned over 3+ decades of practice and study. She has more than 20 years of experience writing and editing for both print and digital media. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on July 7, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Bob Stefko Known for their vibrant fall foliage, maples are some of the most popular landscape trees. No matter what size yard you have or the climate you live in, there's a colorful maple tree variety to fit your growing conditions. 01 of 15 Japanese Maple Mike Jensen Featuring graceful forms and finely cut foliage, Japanese maples come in hundreds of stunning varieties. In general, Japanese maples remain compact and can fit into tight spaces. You also can grow them as a bonsai. Botanical Name: Acer palmatum Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade Size: 2-30 feet tall (depending on variety) Zones: 5–8 02 of 15 Coral Bark Maple $12, FAST GROWING TREES Mike Jensen When you want year-round color, a coral bark maple won't disappoint. This variety of maple tree has reddish pink bark and pale green leaves that turn bright yellow in the fall. In the winter, the color of the tree's bark brightens so it stands out in a snowy landscape. Botanical Name: Acer palmatum 'Sangokaku' Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade Size: 15–20 feet tall, 12 feet wide Zones: 5–8 03 of 15 Paperbark Maple Jane Milliman Perfect for small yards, this gorgeous, slow-growing maple tree develops lovely, peeling, red-brown bark. This maple variety produces bright green foliage, which turns reddish-yellow in fall. Botanical Name: Acer griseum Growing Conditions: Full sun Size: 20–30 feet tall, 12 feet wide Zones: 5–7 04 of 15 Sugar Maple $35, THE HOME DEPOT Denny Schrock When it comes to fall color, sugar maples are at the top of the list. These native maples are absolutely spectacular in autumn when their foliage turns vibrant shades of red, orange, and yellow. They make excellent shade trees for large backyards. There are a number of variety options to choose from, but 'Green Mountain' is one of the most popular because it is drought resistant. Botanical Name: Acer saccharum Growing Conditions: Full sun Size: 50–75 feet tall, 30–45 feet wide Zones: 4–8 05 of 15 Silver Maple Bob Stefko Silver maple is a graceful, fast-growing type of maple tree that does best planted in moist locations away from buildings because they tend to drop branches easily. They have aggressive root systems that can infiltrate sewer systems so it's best planted away from underground pipes. Hybrids such as 'Silver Queen' or 'Silver Cloud' are less messy and aggressive. Botanical Name: Acer saccharinum Growing Conditions: Full sun Size: 60–80 feet tall, 40–60 feet wide Zones: 3–9 06 of 15 Red Maple $80, NATURE HILLS Denny Schrock A North American native, red maple forms an oval crown of bright green leaves that turn fiery red in autumn. Growing at a moderate rate, red maple makes a sturdy, beautiful shade tree. Look for top varieties such as 'Red Sunset', 'October Glory', 'Red Supersonic', 'Ruby Frost', and 'Columnar'. Botanical Name: Acer rubrum Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade Size: 40–60 feet tall, 30–40 feet wide Zones: 3–9 07 of 15 Hedge Maple $2, ETSY Denny Schrock The rounded form of hedge maple is easily sheared to any height to create a privacy screen or living wall. In the fall, this maple tree develops pretty, pale yellow leaves. 'Metro Gold' and 'Royal Ruby' are two reliable varieties with bold fall color. Botanical Name: Acer campestre Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade Size: 20–35 feet tall, 20–30 feet wide Zones: 5–8 08 of 15 Crimson King Maple Peter Krumhardt This popular purple-leaf maple tree is actually a form of the common Norway maple. In fall, the foliage of 'Crimson King' maple turns a deep maroon. Like other Norway maples, it can be invasive in some regions. Botanical Name: Acer platanoides 'Crimson King' Growing Conditions: Full sun Size: 35–45 feet tall, 25–30 feet wide Zones: 3–7 09 of 15 Snakebark Maple $6, TREE HELP Denny Schrock Named for its unique, striped bark, snakebark maple is a relatively compact type of maple tree, making it a good choice for small backyards. Plant these small trees where you can admire its spectacular bark, which becomes more colorful with age. Botanical Name: Acer pectinatum ssp. forrestii Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade Size: 15–20 feet tall, 15 feet wide Zones: 5–9 10 of 15 Korean Maple $23, BONANZA Denny Schrock If you love Japanese maple varieties but live in a region where they won't survive the winter, try Korean maple. These rugged, small trees can tolerate colder temperatures (however, they don't like hot, dry weather). In the spring, Korean maples develop small purple flowers, and their deeply lobed, dark green leaves turn crimson in autumn. Botanical Name: Acer pseudosieboldiana Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade Size: 15–25 feet tall, 15 feet wide Zones: 4–8 11 of 15 Trident Maple $40, ETSY Denny Schrock Resistant to air pollution, trident maple is a good choice for an urban street tree. It grows slowly, so it rarely needs pruning, making it a low-maintenance shade tree. It's also relatively drought and disease resistant. In the fall, this variety of maple tree's bright green, lobed foliage turns scarlet and orange. Botanical Name: Acer buergerianum Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade Size: 20–30 feet tall, 20–30 feet wide Zones: 5–9 12 of 15 Three-Flowered Maple $23, ETSY Denny Schrock Also called roughbark maple, three-flowered maple is a versatile, small tree develops interesting ridges or knobs on the trunk as it matures. It is one of the few varieties of maple trees with bright fall color even if grown in the shade. Plus, its ivy-like leaves give this maple a unique texture. Botanical Name: Acer triflorum Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade Size: 20 feet tall, 20 feet wide Zones: 5–9 13 of 15 Miyabe Maple $750, ITREES Denny Schrock In addition to gorgeous fall color, Miyabe maple is also very adaptable. It will tolerate heat, cold, just about any soil type, and urban air pollution. Its dense branches make it a terrific shade tree. Miyabe maple would be a good substitute for ash trees where emerald ash borers are a problem. Two excellent selections are 'Morton' and 'Rugged Ridge'. Botanical Name: Acer miyabei Growing Conditions: Full sun Size: 40–50 feet tall, 30–35 feet wide Zones: 4–6 14 of 15 Autumn Blaze Maple Courtesy of Green Thumbs Garden/Etsy A cross between sugar maple and red maple, Autumn Blaze maple is a fast-growing tree that has long-lasting, fiery fall foliage. This popular variety has few flowers ands messy seeds. Botanical Name: Acer x freemanii 'Jeffersred' Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade Size: 40–50 feet tall, 30-40 feet wide Zones: 3–8 15 of 15 Tatarian Maple Courtesy of Magic Forest Seeds/Etsy A tough, attractive tree, Tatarian maple tolerates cold winters and hot summers well. 'Hot Wings' offers both bright red seedpods in the summer, and yellow and orange fall foliage, making it a truly show-stopping tree in the landscape. Botanical Name: Acer tataricum Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade Size: 15–20 feet tall, 15 to 20 feet wide Zones: 3–8 Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit