Sugar Maple Tree 80/100cm (2L)

Sugar Maple – Acer saccharum is a large, broadly oval deciduous tree best known for two things: the sweet sap that gives the world maple syrup, and the extraordinary autumn colour that sweeps across its canopy in shades of butter yellow, burnt orange and deep scarlet. Native to the woodlands of eastern North America, it has long been planted in gardens here as a specimen and shade tree where there is room for it to reach full size.

This plant is supplied at 80/100cm in a 2L pot, a manageable young tree that establishes quickly and is easy to position without machinery. At this stage it has a slender central stem and a handful of branches carrying the characteristic five-lobed leaves, each one around 8–14cm across with smoothly rounded sinuses between the points. Through spring and summer the foliage is a matt mid to dark green, often slightly paler and softly downy beneath, before the autumn display begins in late September and runs well into October.

Mature specimens develop a dense, rounded crown and grey bark that becomes deeply furrowed and plated with age. Small greenish-yellow flowers hang in clusters in April before the leaves fully expand, followed by paired winged seeds. The timber is the famous rock maple used for flooring and instruments, and in a garden setting the wood’s density translates into a tough, wind-firm tree once established.

Sugar maple suits larger gardens, parkland planting, boundary planting and avenues. It casts dense shade, so underplant with early bulbs such as snowdrops and wood anemones that finish before the canopy closes. It dislikes compacted soil, heavy road salt and prolonged drought, so avoid tight street-side pockets and very dry sandy banks.

Care Guide

Plant between November and March while the tree is dormant, choosing a position in full sun or light dappled shade. Sugar maple performs best on deep, fertile, moisture-retentive but free-draining soil, and tolerates both slightly acidic and neutral to mildly alkaline conditions. It is fully hardy across the British climate, including colder inland and northern sites, though autumn colour is usually strongest where summers are warm and autumn nights turn cool.

Dig a planting hole three times the width of the rootball but no deeper, loosen the sides, and set the tree at the same depth it sat in the pot. Firm in well and stake young trees on exposed sites for the first two or three years. Water thoroughly after planting and keep the root area moist through the first two summers, particularly in the drier south and east, where a long dry spell can cause early leaf scorch.

Mulch each spring with 5–7cm of composted bark or well-rotted manure, keeping it clear of the trunk. Feeding is rarely needed on reasonable soils; a general-purpose fertiliser in April helps on poor ground. Prune only in late summer or early autumn to remove dead, damaged or crossing branches, as maples bleed sap heavily if cut in late winter or spring.

Ultimate height
Higher than 12 metres

Time to ultimate height
20–50 years

Ultimate spread
8–12 metres

Please note: Decorative pots shown are for display purposes only. Your tree will be supplied in a standard plastic nursery pot shown in the other pictures.