| Acer rubrum ‘October Glory’ |
| Acer rubrum ‘October Glory’ | Sapindaceae (soapberry family) |
For Arbor Day 2022, we planted an October Glory maple. One of the most popular red maples, it was developed by William Flemer III at Princeton Nurseries. A 6-foot specimen of this showy red maple was donated to the Flemer Arboretum by Jeff Baumley of Baumley Nursery. The October Glory Red Maple – Acer rubrum ‘October Glory’ – is aptly named. The image above shows a mature specimen.
This cultivar shines like a beacon in mid to late fall, as its leaves are transfused with orange-red after other autumn leaves have fallen. Red maples provide food and cover for songbirds. They tolerate both dry spaces and the dreaded ‘wet feet/roots’ conditions, so may be a good choice for a wet spot in your yard. This rapidly growing variety grows up to 2 feet per year, and has a symmetrical shape and rounded crown. The tree should top out at about 50 feet tall and 25 to 30 feet wide, so will provide ample shade as it ages.