Acer negundo ‘Sensation’

Acer negundo 'Sensation' (Acer negundo 'Sensation') is a box elder maple grown for one thing above all: the orange to deep red autumn canopy. It reaches roughly 7m tall and 5m across, fast enough to throw real shade within a few seasons rather than a decade. It also shrugs off frost, drought, wind and poor soil, which makes it a far easier tree than the ornamental maples most gardeners reach for first.

Why you'll love it

• Autumn colour worth planning a garden around. The canopy turns through orange to red before leaf drop, and in a cool autumn it holds for weeks.
• Shade sooner. One of the quicker deciduous shade trees, so a bare backyard gains a usable canopy in a handful of seasons.
• Summer shade, winter sun. It cools the house through the hot months, then drops its leaves and lets low winter light back through.
• Genuinely tough. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, wind tolerant and content in poor soil, so it does not need a pampered site to perform.

Where it works best

Lawn and backyard shade. Set it 5m to 6m clear of the house and paving so the mature crown can spread without constant reduction pruning.

Driveways and avenues. Plant 6m to 8m apart along a drive. At that spacing the crowns meet overhead within several seasons while each tree keeps a balanced shape.

Feature planting. A single specimen on a front lawn carries the autumn display on its own.

Growing Acer negundo 'Sensation' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, with shelter from harsh afternoon exposure in dry inland gardens. This is a tree for cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean climates, and it is comfortably frost hardy. Be realistic about the colour: it depends on a cold snap, so gardens with cold nights get far stronger tones than mild coastal ones, and it is not a tree for the tropics or subtropics.

Soil. It accepts poor, rocky ground that would stall a fussier maple, but it wants drainage. On heavy clay, plant on a raised mound and work compost through the backfill. Mulch 75mm deep, clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak weekly through the first two summers, after which it copes with dry spells on its own. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring is all it asks for.

Pruning. Prune in winter while it is dormant and the framework is visible. Fast growth makes softer wood, so shorten narrow forked limbs early and lift the lower branches over two or three winters for a clean trunk.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell this maple in advanced sizes only: 400mm, 500mm, 45L, 100L, 200L and 400L. Even the smallest is a standing tree with a formed trunk, and from 100L up you are buying immediate height.

Ordered between late autumn and early spring it will arrive bare of leaves. That is dormancy, not a fault, and it is the best time to plant. Trees are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare options in our deciduous tree range.
• Browse more plants with autumn colour.
• Read our guide to choosing trees for a driveway.
• See what else is available as advanced stock.

Common questions

Will it colour up in a warm garden?

It will turn, but the intensity tracks the autumn temperatures. Gardens with cold nights get the strong orange and red, while mild coastal gardens see softer yellows and a shorter display.

How fast does it grow?

Quickly by deciduous tree standards, particularly in the first few years with water and a spring feed. Growth then eases as it approaches its mature 7m.

Can it handle an exposed, windy block?

Yes, wind tolerance is one of its strengths. Stake a newly planted tree for its first year so the root ball is not rocked loose before it anchors.