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New England Gardening

What kind of maple tree has dark red leaves all year?

13 years ago

My dad calls this a red maple, kind of gray/silvery bark, dark red/burgundy leaves all year round. I know red maples just turn red in the fall, so I thought it was a Norway maple but apparently that's not it either Very common ornamental tree around here (not Japanese maple). Any ideas? Sorry, my sapling is just getting leaves, I'll have to go take a pic of a mature tree.

Featured Answer

rockman50

13 years ago

Norway maples are very invasive. The seeds "helicopter" away from the parent tree so seedlings can spring up far and wide--your lawn is not the concern. The woods in your area would be a concern. Moreover, they are very shallow rooted trees and aggressive growers. So you can't grow anything underneath one of these beasts. I would dig it up. But then again, I hate Norway maples.

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Comments (10)

2ajsmama
Original Author
13 years ago
Sorry, just found Crimson King. That looks like it. My dad will be angry, but should re pull this sapling he gave us last year out? It's planted fairly close to forestland in our back yard.
tree_oracle
13 years ago
It's a Norway maple. Crimson King is one of many red-leaved cultivars of this species.
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2ajsmama
Original Author
13 years ago
Yes, I found it after looking for red Norway maples. Should we dig it up and burn it? I read it's invasive in New England.
spedigrees z4VT
13 years ago
We had two lovely old Norway maples at our old hous*e. My only problem with them was that their leaves did not turn red and yellow in the autumn like a sugar maple. The leaves stayed a summer green until they turned brown and fell off after the frost. (Obviously my tr*ees weren't the red variety.)

I can't imagine that Norway maples are any more invasive than any other maple. If the tr*ee is on a mowed law*n, it can hardly propogate. If you like this tr*ee I would not dig it up.
WendyB 5A/MA
13 years ago
I agree with rockman. ALso the "red" leaves become more like brown/bronze and can be overpowering and dark and gloomy
ginny12
13 years ago
Norway maples are a giant weed. They produced uncounted seedlings and can take over a large area if not constantly pulled. The roots are shallow, the shade is deep, and nothing will grow under them. They are the Norway rats of trees.
terrene
13 years ago
Ditto above. I am quite familiar with these trees and had 4 large Norways removed from my lot, with 1 huge one remaining, which is the biggest. :( They are extremely weedy, and have started to invade the small woodland areas in the neighborhood. I cut, poison, and girdle these suckers at every opportunity and am still debating removing the last big one which is indeed a beast ($$$).

Acer platanoides 'Crimson King' is a very common cultivar and may be less aggressive than the species. However, since it is a Norway, I would trash that sucker and plant a much nicer native tree instead (I hate Norways too).
ego45
13 years ago
Count me in a 'NM Haters Club', too.
masshydrangea
13 years ago
My neighbor has a Crimson King that I admire every day on my walk to the post office. I agree that it could be kind of gloomy if it were not an isolated specimen in full sun. I did not realize it was an invasive species. Too bad - it can be quite majestic. I will be pulling seedlings from my beds with new fervor. :)

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