Red Maple vs Silver Maple - TreeTime.ca

Red Maple vs Silver Maple

Acer rubrum

Acer saccharinum

Red Maple
Silver Maple

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.

Silver Maple is a fast-growing, large deciduous tree that typically has a short trunk and sharply branched crown.

Silver Maple bears red flowers in early spring and beautiful five lobed, deeply notched green and silver leaves that turn yellow in the fall. This versatile and attractive shade tree requires a large yard.

Silver Maple is often used to make syrup instead of Sugar Maple in colder areas where Sugar Maple sap does not sweeten very well (like the Canadian prairies).

Red Maple Quick Facts

Silver Maple Quick Facts

Lowest Price: $3.99 - SAVE UP TO 60%
Lowest Price: $4.49 - SAVE UP TO 36%
Zone: 3a
Zone: 3a
Height: 15 m (49 ft)
Height: 20 m (66 ft)
Spread: 9 m (30 ft)
Spread: 12 m (40 ft)
Moisture: any
Moisture: normal, wet
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no
Fall colour: reddish-orange
Fall colour: pale yellow to brown
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: long
Life span: long
Suckering: none
Suckering: low

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

Between row spacing: 5 m (16 ft)

Toxicity: wilted leaves toxic to horses

Other Names: soft maple, swamp maple, water maple
Other Names: creek maple, silverleaf maple, soft maple, water maple, white maple