Maples for Wide-Open Spaces

• Most maple trees mature to over 45 feet in height and branch out as much as 50 feet. With its large presence -- heights of 45 feet and widths of 35 feet -- and its rounded shape, Autumn Blaze, a hybrid created by crossing the silver and red maples, offers a flashy show of orange and red fall color, grows moderately quickly and has moderate moisture needs. Steer clear of silver maples if the soil has alkaline tendencies, as this maple does not thrive in alkaline soils. One of the largest of the maples, silver maple grows quickly, stretching a towering 65 feet tall and reaching out as much as 50 feet. Silver maples turn yellow in fall.
  
  One of the most popular varieties, prized for its legendary syrup, sugar maples grow slowly, prefer well-drained soils, have an oval shape, prefer high-moisture-content soils and grow as high as 40 feet with a 35-foot spread. Another popular large maple is red maple. Named for its blazing red fall color, this maple grows 45 feet high and 40 feet wide, has a conical shape and grows quickly, requiring a substantial amount of rain or irrigation to thrive.
  
  

Maples for Smaller Spaces

• If the yard's size limits the use of the giant maples, consider some of the smaller varieties such as hedge maple, which has a height of 25 feet and a spread of the same amount. With its moderate growth rate, rounded shape, yellow fall color and moderate need for water, hedge maple makes a good shade tree without sacrificing too much yard space. Amur maple works well in smaller yards as well. This broad, spreading maple grows to 20 feet and reaches out 15 feet, exhibits scarlet fall color, and has a moderate growth rate and watering needs. Another interesting small native maple, Rocky Mountain, provides a 15-foot-tall tree that spreads another 15 feet, has an upright, oval shape with yellow fall color and bright red buds in winter. Like other maples of this size, Rocky Mountain's watering needs and growth rate are moderate.
  
  

Maples for Interest

• Norway Crimson King grows as tall as 90 feet and exhibits a rich dark purple leaf throughout the growing season. Depending on the soil, this majestic maple turns brown, bronze or dark maroon before dropping its leaves in the fall. In the spring it exhibits maroon and yellow flowers over its crown. Grow Tatarian maple as a small tree or a multistemmed shrub. Prune vigorously to train this small, 20 by 20 foot maple to shrub size. Expect pink to red winged seeds in summer and yellow color in fall.
  
  Plant one of the newest varieties of red Japanese maples, the Tamukeyama Japanese maple, as a garden focal point. This maple sports dark purple leaves that turn brilliant scarlet in the fall. Plant this 7-foot-tall variety in partial shade in well-drained soil, providing plenty of water and space for its 7-foot spread.
  
  

Considerations

• When choosing a maple tree variety, consider its space requirements, allowing for unimpeded growth that eliminates the need for severe pruning. Before planting, check for obstructions such as overhead utility lines and buildings that hamper the tree's spread.