April 2013: Adding Unique Trees To Your Landscaping

If you’ve been looking for some new, unique trees to add to your tree-centric landscaping, you’re in luck. Below are several varieties of the ever popular Maple Tree that will fit nicely into many Minnesota landscapes. 

Autumn Blaze Maple Tree

The Autumn Blaze Maple is a beautiful combination of the red maple tree and the silver maple tree. The colors explode in the fall to a gorgeous orange-red color. The tree itself is quite dense and makes for an excellent focal point in your yard. This tree is known for its unparalleled growth speed that keeps it safe from many insects and diseases that other trees are prone to. Because they are stronger than their Silver Maple counterpart, they are much less susceptible to storm damage as well. Over time this particular tree will grow to 50-60 feet in height and have a full spread of 30-40 feet, making it an excellent choice for expansive yards.

Glory Red Maple Tree

The Glory Red Maple is a varietal within the Flowering Maple family and can be worked into nearly any kind of landscape. Beautiful blooms appear on these trees in the spring, making it a very ornamental choice for your yard. While these flowers will produce quite a bit of color, they are generally not fragrant like other flowering trees. The leaves on this tree are dark green in color and change much later in the fall than other tree varietals. In October this tree will erupt in gorgeous oranges, reds and yellows. It is a showpiece no matter what the season.

Japanese Maple Tree

The Japanese Maple is one of the most popular ornamental trees on the market right now. They blossom into a beautiful reddish purple that will attract attention from spring through fall. Because there are a wide range of Japanese Maple varietals within this tree family, the height of this tree can vary from 10 to more than 20 feet. These trees are best planted in early spring after the ground thaws, making this the perfect time of year to think about adding a Japanese Maple to your landscape.

Norway Maple Tree

The Norway Maple is a broadleaf tree in the Maple family. Over time, this varietal will mature to a height of 40 to 50 feet and can have a spread that is equal to its height. If given the right care and space, this tree can grow to upwards of 90 feet tall. This makes the Norway Maple especially wonderful in larger landscapes. Foliage on this tree is dark green from spring through late summer with a beautiful yellow hue in the fall. Because this tree has more shallow roots than other varietals in this tree family, it is a great choice for tree-centric landscapes. Don’t get so excited about these new trees that you forget your existing trees — they still need to be pruned and given preventive treatment for insects and disease. If you are adding a tree to your landscape, that can be a great time to schedule maintenance for your other trees as well.