Red Maple vs Empress Tree - TreeTime.ca

Red Maple vs Empress Tree

Acer rubrum

Paulownia tomentosa

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

Red Maple
Empress Tree

Red Maple is a beautiful deciduous tree that blooms with small red flowers in the spring. It is one of the first trees to change colour in the fall, turning a brilliant reddish-orange colour. It is one of the most common and widespread maples in North America.

Red Maple is a great choice for parks and large gardens where there is ample room for its root system.

Important note: Red Maple leaves are toxic to horses if ingested in quantity.

The Empress Tree is a fast growing, ornamental shade tree. It has purple, fragrant flowers that are quite attractive. The flowers emerge before the leaves in early spring. The leaves of this tree can grow very large, up to 30 cm long.

As one of the fastest growing trees in the world, this tree has been given considerable attention for carbon sequestration projects. It drops many seeds which can make it invasive in warmer climates. Please do some research and plant the right tree in the right place.

The Empress tree’s genus name comes from Princess Paulowna, daughter of Tsar Paul I of Russia.

Red Maple Quick Facts

Empress Tree Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 5a
Height: 15 m (49 ft)
Height: 9 m (30 ft)
Spread: 9 m (30 ft)
Spread: 9 m (30 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: any
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: very fast
Life span: long
Life span: medium
Suckering: none
Suckering: medium

Toxicity: wilted leaves toxic to horses

Fall colour: reddish-orange
Flowers: light purple
Seeds: located within the winged samaras
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no

In row spacing: 2.4 - 4 m (8 - 12 ft)

Between row spacing: 5 m (16 ft)
Native to: ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, PE
Other Names: soft maple, swamp maple, water maple
Other Names: chinese empress tree, foxglove tree, princess tree, royal paulownia