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How about a October Glory maple tree?

16 years ago

I just posted a question for our front yard tree days ago. Thanks a lot for all the suggestions!

Our new home has no shade trees and I need a comparatively fast growing shade tree in my big sunny front yard, preferably easy maintainance and ornimental.I was thinking of planting a October Glory maple. Is this a good idea ? I am in Bay Area, CA. zone 9.

Thanks in advance for your help!

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Comments (6)

quirkyquercus
16 years ago
Yes that's a great selection. Faster growing and more densely foliated than other red maples. My only hesitation would be where shallow surface roots would be problem for maintaining a prime section of lawn. This would be maybe 10 years down the road though.
suel41452
16 years ago
Somerset and Sun Valley are new red maples that are male and have no seeds to clog up your gutters & sprout seedlings all over the place. Somerset is a cross between October Glory and Autumn Flame; Sun Valley is a cross between Autumn Flame and Red Sunset.
Here's a link to USDA web page that describes them:
http://www.usna.usda.gov/Newintro/somerset.pdf
If I had to do it over, these are what I would plant. Love maples but HATE those pesky seeds!!!!!
Sooner Plant Farm sells them at www.soonerplantfarm.com.
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I always hear people saying how terrible silver maple trees are and not to plant them whether its because they are deemed invasive, messy and because of surface roots. These ones on our property were planted I would have to say 30-40 years ago if not older and yes they are huge. As of last summer I didn't see one surface root anywhere in the yard. I also have a few flower beds around them and haven't had an issue. I was just unsure if the surface root problem of the October Glories were as big of an issue as people make it seem, since clearly the issue with silver maples doesn't exist in my yard...I also should add that the largest silver maple is 4 feet from our septic tank but not close to the leach field, never had a problem with the septic tank, foundation, concrete driveway or anything.
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Thanks for the replies... Toronado... I am just west of Atlanta, GA. Zone 7/7B. Soil is heavy red clay, slightly acidic. The location is full sun, and actually part of the reason for this tree it to provide shade for a Crimson Queen that has been roasting in full sun for years. it is surviving, but far from thriving. Ken... All good points. I wasn't sure what the easement was, yeah had not thought of that. This line in question would only effect us, as it is from pole to our house only. Which of course means in a storm we would be the only ones out on the street, and last to repair. A definite consideration. I think the problem has resolved tho. I was luckily able to reach Sooner Plant Farm, and they will be shipping me a 5 gallon Shantung Maple Fire Dragon in a month. From what I hear (and see) this tree is outstanding. Gorgeous red fall color, smaller/shorter... reaching 30' X 30' or so at maturity, excellent resistance to storm damage, and has a more branching type natural style rather than single leader. A perfect smaller maple to bonsai train... at least initially for the shape I need. Really looking forward to trying this. I will update as things go, starting with a pic after planting. Also attaching a cpl pics of fire dragon for any that have not seen one.
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Since we're at a time of the year where plants are going dormant, or are already there, there's not much need for typical fertilizer. Still, roots are growing below ground, so a handful of low, or no-nitrogen, fertilizer will help that process. I find that many newly installed plants take a while (a year or two) to get sufficient roots into the native soil where they can tap onto the existing fertility, if it's there. Next spring, observe if the leaves are a rich, deep green ... or a a washed out, or yellowed green. The latter suggests that fertilizer is in order. I'm in an area of high sand content (Florida) and Nitrogen does not seem to stick around too long. Being water soluble, it's leached to lower levels, and finally out of reach, by frequent rains. I generally apply fertilizer 2x/year. The longer a large plant is in the ground, the less it will need fertilizer. Insofar as "best" fertilizer ...? It doesn't matter. In the growing season the 'October Glory' is going to be happy with anything that contains Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium ... so some rose or lawn fertilizer would do it.
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Or just buy 3 more trees and plant them at your new place. Less chance of damaging the root systems and putting them into transplant shock like you would moving established trees that are leafed out already. You didn't say but if you're selling the house you're in now, the buyers might not appreciate you taking landscape objects out of the ground after they have already made the agreement to buy. Either way, it's just so much less work to replace the trees than to move them.
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suel41452
16 years ago
Sorry - didn't notice you're in zone 9. Even though Sooner Plant Farm lists Sun Valley as hardy to zone 9, it's only hardy to zone 7 according to the USDA site.
Dave's Garden shows it as hardy to zone 9, too. So it's a bit confusing but I'd go with the USDA number.
sbeuerlein
16 years ago
Yeah, a red maple in Zone 9 California seems a stretch to me, although the species is native way down into Florida. I'd try to find out from local nurseries or your county extension office if "October Glory" performs well in your area.

These are gorgeous trees, but forget about growing anything else within their network of greedy roots--that means out past the dripline by many dozens of feet on a mature specimen.

Scott
Soumil Yarlagadda
5 years ago
Yes. Good choice, I would recommend th autumn blaze maple. When you see online,They say both of these maples can Only grow well tilol zone 8, but that’s not true. I mean, they grow well all the way down in San Diego! The October glory red maple or the autumn blaze would do well if you acidify your soil and amend it to be more well draining.
Soumil Yarlagadda
5 years ago
They sell the autumn blaze and october glory red maple in urban tree farm, which is in Fulton California. Fulton is in the Bay Area. They don’t ship online tho. They grow ok.

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