Firefall Maple is a fairly new hybrid maple that was created by a joint breeding program of the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Firefall Maple has several characteristics that make it a good choice for Minnesota landscapes.
Like other hybrid maples such as Autumn Blaze, Matador, Sienna Glen, Autumn Fantasy and Autumn Lights, rapid growth is also seen in Firefall Maple. The fall color of Firefall Maple is also quite nice, trending to a mix of red and burgundy that will delight the eye and brighten the autumn landscape.
We have noticed that Firefall Maple has branches with good angles of attachment to the trunk, which tends to create strong branches that are better able to hold up in stormy weather. This should make Firefall Maple a tree that will add beauty to the landscape for many decades.
Firefall Maple has lovely cutleaf foliage that adds an extra dimension of texture and a refined look that is hard to find in most other maple varieties that are hardy enough for Minnesota’s climate. Growing to a mature size of 40′-60′ tall by 30′-40′ wide, Firefall Maple will provide nice shade, but has a crown about 20 feet narrower than most other shade trees. This makes Firefall Maple an excellent choice for slightly smaller areas in the landscape.
The fact that Firefall Maple is seedless makes it highly desirable for use in both public and private spaces. Firefall joins Celebration Maple, Sienna Glen Maple and Autumn Fantasy Maple on the relatively short list of maples that won’t produce the litter problem of seed crops.
If you plant a Firefall Maple this fall, it will give you years of enjoyment from a fast growing and colorful shade tree that has a slightly narrower width.
