Acer rubrum, the red maple, also known as swamp, water or soft maple, is one of the most common and widespread deciduous trees of eastern and central North America. The U.S. Forest service recognizes it as the most abundant native tree in eastern North America.
Red maples prefer somewhat moist soil but will grow fine in dry soils provided you are willing to irrigate them regularly (slow, deep watering is the ideal). Once established, make sure the soil remains moist—a layer of organic mulch around the base of the tree will help.
Spread 15 pounds of 20-5-5 fertilizer per 1,000 square feet of root zone in the spring, before the tree produces new growth. Apply the fertilizer evenly across the surface of the soil.
The red maple grows in acidic, loamy, moist, rich, sandy, silty loam, well-drained and clay soils. It prefers wet soil conditions but has slight drought tolerance.
We recommend that you trim or prune during the late spring, between May and early June whenever the new leaves on the tree are fully developed. This is also when the tree produces much less sap. Heavy sap flow, common later in the year, can turn your tree pruning experience into a nightmare as sap is sticky and messy.
