6 named cultivars

treeN. America Native

Freeman Maple

Acer freemanii

The Story

Plant Bio

Acer x freemanii, Freeman maple, is a naturally occurring hybrid between red maple and silver maple, native to eastern North America where the two parents overlap. It reaches forty-five to seventy feet with a dense oval crown, combining the fast growth of silver maple with the stronger wood and superior autumn colour of red maple.

It is the deliberate best-of-both cross: silver maple's speed without its notoriously brittle limbs, and red maple's scarlet autumn colour without its slower growth. Most selections are seedless males, so there are no samaras to sweep or germinate in the borders — a real advantage over both parents.

Uses & Benefits:

Reliable scarlet and orange autumn colour on a fast-growing tree with a neat oval crown.

Grows quickly without silver maple's brittleness, and named forms are seedless.

Early flowers feed emerging bees; the canopy supports moth and butterfly larvae.

Essentials

At a Glance

Plant Type

Tree

Height

690 inches

Width

510 inches

Light

Full Sun

Zones

4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Water

Moderate

Humidity

Moderate

Lifespan

Perennial

Native To

Eastern North America

Toxicity

Non-toxic

Planting

How to Grow

Plant in autumn or early spring in moist, well-drained soil.
Choose full sun for the best autumn colour.
Allow thirty-five to fifty feet of spread.
Water through the first two seasons.
Prune in late winter to build strong structure.
Avoid alkaline soil, which causes chlorosis.

Pro Tip

Buy a named seedless selection — they avoid the samara litter that makes both parent species a nuisance in a garden.

Keep It Thriving

Care Guide

Do

Plant in full sun for autumn colour ☀️
Give it room for a broad crown 🌳
Prune in late winter ✂️
Choose a seedless named selection 🍁

Don't

Plant in alkaline soil; it yellows badly ❌
Crowd it against buildings ❌
Prune in spring, when maples bleed heavily ❌

Seasonal Care Calendar

Task	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Monitor
Prune

Watch Out For

Pests & Diseases

Common Pests

Common Diseases

In the Garden

Landscape Uses & Companions

Landscape Uses

Fast street or lawn shade treeAutumn-colour specimenParkland and large-garden planting

Companion Plants

Serviceberry Flowering Dogwood Christmas Fern Wild Ginger Eastern Redbud

Multiply

Propagation Methods

Good to Know

Common Questions

Freeman Maple questions

What zones can Freeman Maple grow in?

Freeman Maple is hardy in USDA Zones 4–8. Inside that range it survives winter in the ground; outside it, grow it as an annual or a container plant you protect.

Is Freeman Maple deer resistant?

Yes — Freeman Maple is rated deer-resistant. Deer typically pass it over, though extreme hunger can override any plant's defenses.

When does Freeman Maple bloom?

Freeman Maple typically blooms in early spring through early spring. Exact timing shifts a week or two with your zone — Sow's bloom calendar maps it to your garden.

Does Freeman Maple need full sun?

Freeman Maple does best in full sun (6+ hours).