Acer platanoides 'ROYAL RED' Norway maple

Royal Red is a Norway maple variety you cannot mistake – its leaves emerge in a rich wine-red, deepen to dark maroon in summer, and blaze amber to fiery orange in autumn. In early spring, before the canopy fully leafs out, clusters of small yellow flowers appear, creating a striking contrast against the dark foliage. The crown is broadly conical to oval, and in maturity the tree reaches 10–15 meters in height and 6-12 meters in width, giving it a majestic presence and dense shade. This cultivar originated in the United States in 1963 as a selection from the popular ‘Crimson King’. American nurserymen introduced it to the trade because its foliage holds colour better and the tree shows higher – often complete – resistance to powdery mildew. From there it spread quickly to Europe, and since the 1970s it has been a favourite in urban plantings and prestigious gardens, where it still serves as a reliable and striking focal point.

 

In gardens, ‘Royal Red’ is best used as a specimen tree. Its deep purple foliage shows to greatest effect against lighter greenery. It pairs beautifully with ashes, lindens, or birches with finer or differently shaped leaves, which visually soften its strong colour. In modern plantings it is often combined with tall ornamental grasses or light-leaved shrubs, where it creates a dramatic contrast. Thanks to its size it is well suited to larger gardens, parks, and city avenues, where it provides deep shade and lends a representative character to the landscape. In smaller gardens it can be managed by pollarding – cutting all branches back to the trunk at the end of winter so that new shoots emerge in spring, taking up less space while still offering the tree’s typical colour and attractive foliage.

 

‘Royal Red’ thrives best in full sun but will tolerate light shade. It is not demanding about soil and can cope even in poor or heavy clay ground – its strong roots always find their way, yet they are not aggressive and do not damage foundations or pavements. The only unsuitable sites are those with heavy road salt, so it should not be planted along busy highways. Ideally it prefers moderately moist, fertile, well-drained soil, but it will also tolerate slightly alkaline conditions and short-term waterlogging. Standard trees with a single trunk must be staked firmly with a strong support for the first three years until they establish. The root zone should remain free of competition – no grass directly above the roots; mulch is ideal, as it retains moisture and protects the soil from overheating and drying out. Fertilization is usually unnecessary, though the tree benefits from mycorrhizal fungi at planting. It is medium- to long-lived, resistant to most pests and diseases, and fully hardy down to about -40°C (USDA zone 3), making it perfectly reliable even in the harsher regions of Europe. 

 

Last update 12-02-2010; 10-10-2025