Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Deciduous Tree Of The Day


Acer saccharum 'Green Mountain®'
Sugar Maple, Hard Maple, Rock Maple

Type Tree, woody plant
Hardy range 3B to 8A
Height 50' to 65' / 15.20m to 19.80m
Spread 35' to 50' / 10.60m to 15.20m
Growth rate Average
Form Oval and rounded
Exposure Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence Deciduous

Bloom Color Green
Bloom Time Spring

Environment This plant tolerates some drought.
This plant will grow in dry soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy, sandy or clay.
The pH preference is an acidic to slightly alkaline (less than 6.8 to 7.7) soil.

Leaf Color Green
Fall Color Orange, red and yellow

This plant has attractive fall colors.

Culture Notes Growing in full sun or shade, Sugar Maple will tolerate a wide variety of soil types (except compacted soil) but is not salt-tolerant. Established trees look better when given some irrigation during dry weather, particularly in the south. In the south, many leaves remain in the central portion of the canopy for much of the winter, giving the tree a somewhat unkempt appearance.

Sugar Maples are not recommended for the Dallas area, in many cases due to alkaline soils causing chlorosis. Sensitivity to compaction, heat, drought and road salt limit usage of Sugar Maple for urban street plantings, but it is still recommended for parks and other areas away from roads where soil is loose and well-drained. This cultivar performs better than others on dry sites.

Acer nigrum, a similar species, is more tolerant of heat and drought. Like other maples, leaves scorch in dry summers. `Green Mountain' has dark green foliage in summer and resists leaf scorch. Trees are considered fairly good compartmentalizers of decay.

Maintain adequate mulch area

Clear all turf away from beneath the branches and mulch to the drip line, especially on young trees, to reduce competition with turf and weeds. This will allow roots to become well established and keep plants healthier. Prune the tree so trunks and branches will not rub each other. Remove some secondary branches on main branches with included bark. This reduces the likelihood of the main branch splitting from the tree later when it has grown to become an important part of the landscape. Locate the tree properly, taking into account the ultimate size, since the tree looks best if it is not pruned to control size. The tree can enhance any landscape with its delightful spring flush of foliage. It can be the centerpiece of your landscape if properly located.

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Please feel free to comment on any post at any time all feedback is welcome and we’d love to hear it.