Red Maple - Acer Rubrum Seedlings

Red Maple Seedlings for Sale: Bulk Acer rubrum for Reforestation, Wet Ground and Fast Shade

Red maple seedlings (Acer rubrum) are bare-root red maple trees that grow 40 to 60 feet tall and turn scarlet in fall. Red maple is hardy in USDA zones 3–9 and grows in full sun to part shade, in wet or dry soil. TN Nursery ships 6–12 inch and 12–18 inch red maple seedlings in packs of 100 or 500.

Red maple belongs to the soapberry family, Sapindaceae, and is one of the most widespread native trees in eastern North America, growing from Newfoundland and Minnesota south to Florida and East Texas. Red maple seedlings and red maple saplings are the go-to tree for planting large areas fast: reforestation of old fields, stream bank and wetland buffers, wildlife habitat, screening rows and shade along property lines.

• Botanical name: Acer rubrum, soapberry family (Sapindaceae)
• Also called: red maple tree seedlings, red maple saplings, swamp maple, soft maple, scarlet maple
• Sizes: 6–12 inch or 12–18 inch bare-root seedlings
• Pack sizes: 100 seedlings or 500 seedlings
• Mature size: 40–60 feet tall, 25–35 feet wide
• Growth rate: fast, about 1–2 feet per year once established
• Flowers: small red clusters, February–April, before the leaves
• Ships: bare root and dormant, between November 15 and 29

How Much Do Red Maple Seedlings Cost in Bulk?

Red maple seedlings from TN Nursery cost about 80 cents to $1.15 per seedling, depending on size and pack. The 500-seedling packs give the lowest price per red maple for reforestation, buffers and windbreak rows.

How Far Apart Should You Plant Red Maple Seedlings?

Plant red maple seedlings 8 to 10 feet apart for reforestation and stream buffers, 10 to 12 feet apart in a screening or windbreak row, and 30 to 40 feet apart for individual shade trees. Closer spacing closes the canopy sooner and grows straighter trunks.

Why Plant Red Maple Seedlings on Wet Ground and Stream Banks?

Red maple seedlings are one of the best native trees for wet sites because red maple naturally grows in swamps, floodplains and along creeks. Red maple roots spread wide near the surface and hold stream banks and pond edges in place.

Planted in a riparian buffer, red maple seedlings shade the water, filter runoff and stabilize soil while they grow. The same seedlings thrive on upland old fields and dry slopes, which makes red maple a dependable all-purpose tree for mixed reforestation plantings where soil changes from one end of the property to the other.

How Do Red Maple Seedlings Help Wildlife?

Red maple seedlings grow into one of the earliest sources of pollen and nectar for bees each year. The red flower clusters open from February to April, when few other plants are in bloom.

The winged seeds, called samaras, ripen in late spring and feed squirrels, chipmunks, finches and grosbeaks. The dense crown gives songbirds nesting cover. Red maple seedlings planted along a field edge or food plot border add year-round food and shelter for wildlife.

How Do You Plant Bare-Root Red Maple Seedlings?

Plant bare-root red maple seedlings while they are dormant, from November through April, with the roots kept moist until they go in the ground. Set each seedling at the depth it grew and water it in the same day.

At our Altamont, Tennessee nursery, we grow red maple seedlings in our own fields, lift them while dormant and pack the roots in moist material, so every bundle arrives ready for planting crews or a weekend planting with family.

1. Keep the bundles cool and shaded, with the roots damp, until planting.
2. Soak the roots in water for 1 to 2 hours before planting.
3. Clear a 3-foot circle of sod at each spot so the young roots get the water.
4. Open a hole or dibble slit deep enough for the roots to hang straight, and set the root collar at soil level.
5. Close the hole firmly with your heel and water deeply.
6. Mulch 2 to 3 inches deep, and add a tree tube where deer are plentiful.

What Grows Well With Red Maple Seedlings?

Other native trees that love moist ground grow well with red maple seedlings in a buffer or reforestation planting. Bald cypress seedlings thrive at the water's edge, and river birch seedlings add peeling cinnamon bark along creeks. Sycamore seedlings grow into tall bottomland shade, and pin oak seedlings add acorns for deer and ducks. On drier upland ground, sugar maple seedlings extend the fall color. Need a larger tree for the front yard? Our red maple tree ships at 1 to 5 feet tall, and the Red Sunset maple is a named red maple selection for landscape shade. Browse more in our tree seedlings and fast-growing trees collections.

Planting & Growing Information

Botanical Name: Acer rubrum
Plant Family: Sapindaceae (soapberry family)
Ships: Bare root, 6–12 inch or 12–18 inch seedlings, in packs of 100 or 500
Planting Zone: 3–9
Height at Maturity: 40–60 feet tall, 25–35 feet wide
Growth Rate: Fast, about 1–2 feet per year
Spacing: 8–10 feet for reforestation; 30–40 feet for shade trees
Sun or Shade: Full sun to part shade
Water Needs: Moderate to high; thrives in moist and seasonally wet soil
Soil: Adapts to clay, loam and sand; best in slightly acidic soil
Bloom Season: February–April
Fall Color: Scarlet, orange and yellow
Native Range: Eastern North America, from Canada to Florida and East Texas
Care: Water weekly the first summer and keep a mulch ring around each seedling.
Plant Attributes: Fast-growing native tree, wet-site tolerant, early spring flowers for bees, brilliant red fall color

Red Maple Seedlings FAQ

How fast do red maple seedlings grow?

Red maple seedlings grow fast, usually adding 1 to 2 feet of height per year once the roots establish, and can reach 10 to 15 feet within about 6 to 8 years in full sun.

How far apart should I plant red maple seedlings?

Plant red maple seedlings about 10 feet apart for reforestation, which takes about 436 seedlings per acre, or 30 to 40 feet apart for single shade trees.

Do red maple seedlings grow in wet soil?

Yes. Red maple seedlings thrive in wet and seasonally flooded soil along streams, ponds and swamps, and they also grow well on drier upland sites.

Is red maple a good tree for wildlife?

Yes. Red maple flowers feed bees in late winter, and red maple seeds feed squirrels and songbirds.

Is red maple a good yard tree?

Yes. Red maple is an excellent yard tree that gives fast shade, red spring flowers and brilliant scarlet fall color in full sun to part shade.

Grown and Shipped by TN Nursery

TN Nursery has grown hardy native plants since 1959, more than 65 years of experience, and has supplied plants to major U.S. landmarks like the Washington Monument and Arlington National Cemetery. The Discovery Channel even filmed our maple trees for a time-lapse video showing a tree waking from winter dormancy to full spring leaf, and the U.S. Air Force has used our trees as well. At our Altamont, Tennessee nursery, we grow red maple seedlings by the thousand and ship them bare root in packs of 100 and 500 for reforestation, stream buffers, wildlife land and windbreak rows. Before planting, read How Fast Does a Red Maple Grow?, How to Plant Seedlings for Large-Scale Production and Backyard Wildlife Habitat: Fall Tree Planting Guide on our garden blog.