Growth and Fall Color of Red Maple Selections in the Southeastern United States

Abstract

Abstract Nine red maple (Acer rubrum L.) cultivars (‘Autumn Flame’, ‘Fairview Flame’, ‘Franksred’, ‘Karpick’, ‘Northwood’, ‘October Glory’, ‘Redskin’, ‘Schlesingeri’, and ‘Tilford’), three Freeman maple (Acer × freemanii, interspecific cross between red maple and silver maple) cultivars (‘Autumn Blaze’, ‘Morgan’, and ‘Scarsen’), and a group of A. rubrum seedlings were evaluated in a field study with trickle irrigation for growth rates and fall color. ‘Autumn Blaze’, ‘Morgan’, ‘Scarsen’, and ‘Autumn Flame’ increased the most in height and diameter annually. Height increase was least for ‘Northwood’. ‘Northwood’ and ‘Karpick’ increased least in diameter annually. Considerable variation in initiation, peak, and duration of fall color, and time of defoliation were evident among cultivars. ‘Fairview Flame’ and ‘October Glory’ exhibited superior fall color while ‘Northwood’, ‘Morgan’, and ‘Redskin’ had poor fall color.