One of the newest trees recently planted in the UF/IFAS Extension Orange County’s Exploration Gardens is a ‘Florida Flame’ red maple. The new growth is bright red and almost looks like a flowering tree from afar. ‘Florida Flame’ is a more consistent grower when compared to other red maple species. It also provides good fall color, even in Florida. ‘Florida Flame’ red maple prefers wet areas in the landscape but can adapt to drier locations.

It is well-suited as a street tree but the bark is thin and easily damaged by mowers or string trimmers. Irrigation is often needed to help with establishment in well-drained soils. Trees transplant easily but are not very resistant to decay when injured or pruned improperly. Red Maple tends to form included bark in the crotches of main branches that makes the tree susceptible to breakage. Roots can raise sidewalks and surface roots beneath the canopy can make mowing difficult. Roots growing into mulch around the tree can girdle the trunk.

In general, red maple is abundant and widespread in eastern North America due to its tolerance to different soil types, pH, moisture, elevation and soil texture. In Florida and at the extremes of its southern range, it is almost exclusively a swamp plant. The ‘Florida Flame’ red maple may be a good cultivar to try to add some colorful foliage to the landscape.

More info here: http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/Pages/acerub/acerub.shtml/

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