Maple trees are originally from North America and are widely grown across the continent.
A large variety of species of maple trees are found in the genus Acer, which is part of the plant family Aceraceae.
There are over 100 different maple trees, and each has its unique characteristics.
A few maple species are deciduous woody plants, ranging from multi-trunk shrubs to tall, straight-trunk trees.
It is estimated that maple trees have been grown for food, shelter, medicine, fuel, lumber, and other products for hundreds or perhaps thousands of years.
For a good reason, this tree species is one of the most often used in landscape design.
Maples make excellent shade, street, and specimen trees, which is why so many people choose to plant them.
Many maple varieties put on an annual show of oranges, browns, yellows, and reds, which have made them famous for their autumnal hues.
A tree’s leaves may display a variety of these hues all at once. Many maples can withstand drought, which is a bonus.
The following is a list of the different types of maple trees:
1. Japanese Maple
The Japanese maple is a common sight in Japanese gardens and with thousands of cultivars. It is native to China, Korea, and Japan and is usually between 15 and 25 feet tall.
Japanese maple requires full sun to part shade, with the ability to withstand full shade.
It has green or red leaves that come in various shapes and textures, and the leaves have more lobes and a more delicate texture than other maples.
Colors in the fall vary greatly depending on the cultivar; yellows, red-purples, and bronze tones are all available.
Japanese maple can be used to create a focal point in various garden designs. Dwarf cultivars are frequently used as ornamental shrubs, whereas larger cultivars are often used as small specimen trees.
Heat and cold are both harmful to this plant.
Even in zone 5, a severe cold spell in the winter can cause severe dieback, and it benefits from some shade in the southern part of the range to avoid leaf scorch.
2. Hedge Maple
Hedge maple has the most resistance to adverse conditions among the different types of maple trees on this list, making it a fantastic option for urban gardens.
Hedge maple can survive drought, acidic, alkaline, or salty soils, shaded areas, and regions with low ozone levels.
Its original habitat in Europe and Western Asia could reach a height of 25 to 35 feet tall.
Hedge maple required direct sunlight or partial shadow; it would work perfectly as a street tree as long as the power wires are high enough.
It may be used as a hedge plant in more extensive landscapes; however, it’s also called “field maple” or “common maple” because of its more diminutive stature.
In the fall, the foliage becomes yellow instead of its usual medium green.
3. Norway maple
The popular European maple, sometimes known as the Norway maple, was imported to North America from Europe during the 18th century.
Since then, it has become one of the most common trees in the landscape. It is usually between 40 and 50 feet but can reach 90 feet in some instances. Like most maple trees, it requires direct sunlight or partial shadow.
This lovely but shallow-rooted medium-sized shade tree has a thick, symmetrically spherical crown.
Plant this species in the correct environment, and it would multiply in number before you know it. Furthermore, this maple has been ruled illegal in many states and counties, and this is because it raises some invasive concerns in those areas.
4. Sugar Maple
Among the different types of maple trees on this list, this one has the most percentage of plant sugar.
For this reason, sugar maple has become the first option for people looking to manufacture maple syrup. The locality of its origin is in the Northeast and South of the United States and Northeastern Canada.
Sugar maple grows up to 50 to 80 ft tall and requires direct sunlight or partial shadow.
There are instances where this is a lovely colossal shade tree; however, urban environments aren’t ideal for it.
Compressed soils, salt from the road, and pollution all harm it. However, it is more tolerant to shadow than other large deciduous trees.
Large and spherical, the sugar maple’s crown is densely packed. There are three or five lobes on each leaf, which turn yellow-orange in the fall.
Some people refer to this species as “rock maple” or “hard maple,” depending on where they live.
5. Paperbark Maple
When it comes to landscaping, the paperbark maple is a popular choice because of its cinnamon or reddish-brown bark that easily peels off the trunk.
From Central China, paper maple grows up to 15-30 ft in height and requires direct sunlight or partial shadow.
Small and spherical, with short upright branches, this tree may be found in most backyards.
The upper surfaces of the three-lobed leaves are medium green, while the lower surfaces are gray-green. Leaves turn a vibrant crimson or orange in the fall.
The paperbark maple is an ideal specimen tree for small settings when placed near a deck or patio, and the bark adds a lot of interest in the winter months.
6. Big Leaf Maple
This maple tree is endowed with enormous leaves, as the tree’s name implies. From Alaska to southern California in Western North America is the traditional territory of this maple tree.
It can grow between 20-100-foot range and require direct sunlight or partial shadow.
This maple’s five-lobed, palm-shaped leaves can measure more than 12 inches broad. This tree is also known as the broadleaf maple or the Oregon maple.
The bark of the big leaf maple is wrinkled gray or reddish-brown, and autumn foliage is yellow or golden-orange, with burgundy spring foliage.
If you have a lot of space to work with, a giant tree like this is ideal.
7. Red Maple
Originally from the Eastern United States and Canada, red maple grows between 30 to 100 feet in height and requires total sun exposure.
This tree is known for its different names in various parts. These include scarlet maple, soft maple, Drummond red maple, Carolina red maple, swamp maple, trident red maple, and water maple.
At certain times throughout the year, the red maple lives true to its name. Red spring buds develop into red seed structures (samaras), which dangle from reddish branches. With the changing of seasons, reds return to the tree.
This medium-sized maple is a typical landscape tree in North America, with a rounded or oval-shaped crown and a classic shade tree.
Green leaves with three (or sometimes five) lobes commonly turn scarlet in the fall; however, the exact tints vary.
The fall color ranges from greenish-yellow to scarlet to burgundy, depending on the cultivar.
8. Silver Maple
The silvery undersides of this maple tree’s leaves shimmer in the breeze; Silver maple is native to the Eastern U.S. and Canada and grows up to 50-100 feet in height.
Because of its ease of naturalization and rapid growth, the silver maple is one of the most common trees found in the United States.
Seedlings may swiftly sprout and take over a landscape in an unattended yard.
Soft maple, stream maple, river maple, white maple, and water maple are some of the regional names for this tree, as are many other widespread species. This tree gets a lovely golden, orange, or crimson color in the fall.
This tree has shallow roots and should be kept away from pipelines and asphalt.
9. Vine Leaf Maple
Originally from Japan, vine leaf maple tree grows up to 20 to 30 feet tall. Unlike many maple trees, it requires a semi-shade exposure to the sun.
This little tree resembles the Japanese maple in shape and size, and it may be utilized as a specimen tree in the same way.
The leaves of the vine leaf maple are trifoliate, meaning they have three sections. Among the different types of maple trees on this list, this particular one has a unique kind of leaf.
While its leaves are less like those of a traditional maple, they and more like those of ivies or ash trees. Fall foliage comes in various colors, from plain green to tones of yellow and red.
10. Tatarian Maple
The Tatarian maple was found initially in Central, southeastern Europe, and Asia. It grows up to 15 to 20 feet tall and requires exposure to full sun to thrive.
The Amur maple is a near relative of this species. It is generally cultivated as a tiny upright tree, but it may also be grown as a shrub if left unpruned.
When the tree is young, its leaves have three lobes, but adult trees’ leaves are not lobed. In the spring, greenish-white blooms give way to crimson samaras, and the autumn foliage is yellow or red.
