Red maple or red maple (Acer rubrum) is one of the predominant tree species in the eastern United States and Canada. This maple species is - compared to others - very adaptable and suitable for different substrates. In addition, the ornamental tree inspires with its very intense autumnal leaf color, which is part of the famous Indian Summer in its homeland. So it's no wonder that this maple is now also popular in German gardens.
Red maple is one of the expensive tree species
The larger the tree, the prouder the prize
There is only one fly in the ointment: Since the red maple is (still) quite rare and, like so many other types of maple, is comparatively difficult to grow from seeds or cuttings, such a specimen naturally costs a lot of money. The larger and older the specimen, the more expensive the price. A larger, well-developed solitaire with a height of about two meters can cost between 200 and 300 EUR! Seedlings, on the other hand, are available for a few euros, but do not always develop into a stately tree as hoped.
Red maple is quite expensive, especially as a bonsai
Red maple bonsai in particular are very expensive, after all, this maple species is rarely grown into a miniature tree and is therefore very rare. This isn't necessarily because the red maple is particularly difficult to grow or care for - however, it does take quite a long time to develop from a sapling into a handsome specimen of bonsai. On average, lovers have to plan between 10 and 15 years of intensive care and employment in order to create a miniature work of art from a blank.
Grow red maple cheaply from seed - instructions
If you are interested in a red maple but don't want to pay for a finished specimen, you can grow one yourself from seed. The seed is available in specialist shops and in many online shops, although you have to be very lucky, of course - maple seed does not germinate for a particularly long time and so some seed deliveries can turn out to be sterile. Otherwise, remember that the red maple is a cold germ whose seeds must be stratified before sowing. The best way to do this is to pack the seeds in a tight-seal bag of damp sand and keep this in the crisper of your fridge for a few (about four to six). Then the seeds can be sown.
tips
In view of the prices, it is of course an even bigger loss if the freshly planted red maple leaves droop within a short time. You should plan the planting carefully, especially with regard to the location and the soil conditions.