Norway Maple

Norway Maple 'Crimson Sentry' (Acer platanoides 'Crimson Sentry') holds deep purple crimson foliage from spring to leaf drop, on an upright frame about 7m tall and 4m wide. It gives strong colour and a defined shape without sprawling across a small garden. Yellow flowers open on bare wood in early spring.

Why you'll love it

• Colour that lasts all season. Leaves emerge red and deepen to purple crimson, holding through summer instead of greening off.
• Upright and compact. A narrow, dense crown fits a front garden or side space too tight for a spreading shade tree.
• A real autumn finish. Foliage turns bronze and warm red before the tree goes bare.
• Hardy and undemanding. Frost hardy, wind tolerant, content in poor soil, no regular pruning.
• Dense summer shade. Tight enough to shade a seating area or west facing window, then lets the winter sun through.

Where it works best

Feature planting in a small garden. One tree in a lawn or front bed carries a whole bed. Allow 4m width and 3m clearance from the house.

Driveways and avenues. Plant 4m to 5m apart for a matched, upright row. Tighter and the crowns crowd, spoiling the narrow shape.

Courtyards and patios. Genuine summer shade in a small space.

Growing Norway Maple in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the deepest colour; in part shade the purple reads closer to bronze green. Frost hardy and wanting a genuine winter, it suits cool temperate to warm temperate gardens: the southern states, the tablelands and the higher country. Not suited to tropical, subtropical or arid gardens, where summer heat scorches the leaf margins.

Soil. Adaptable, including poor and compacted ground, provided drainage is reasonable. Improve heavy clay with compost and gypsum, plant slightly proud, and mulch 75mm deep clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Water deeply once or twice a week through the first two summers, then weekly in dry spells. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring is all it needs.

Pruning. Very little. Remove crossing or damaged branches in winter while the tree is bare. Avoid heavy summer pruning: maples bleed sap freely when cut in growth.

What to expect when it arrives

Four sizes: 300mm and 400mm pots, then 45L and 100L. The 300mm tree suits a row, 400mm and 45L a single feature, and a 100L tree arrives with a set trunk and formed crown for immediate effect.

It is deciduous, so a winter delivery arrives as bare branches. That is normal, and winter is the best time to plant. Stake advanced trees for the first year and expect 30cm to 50cm of growth a year once settled. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95; advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Every tree carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• More trees that colour up in our autumn colour collection.
• Compare the range of deciduous trees.
• Evergreen or deciduous, and how to decide.
• Best trees for lining a driveway.

Common questions

Does the purple colour hold through summer?

Yes, better than most purple leaved maples. The tone holds until the autumn change, and full sun keeps it strongest.

Will it grow in a subtropical or tropical garden?

Not well. It wants a cold winter. In humid northern gardens the leaves scorch and the colour disappoints.

How far apart for a driveway row?

Four to five metres. That keeps the crowns distinct while still reading as a formal row.

Are the roots a problem near paving?

Norway maples do develop surface roots as they mature. Allow 3m from paths, driveways and services.