Red Sunset Maple: A Fast-Growing Shade Tree With Brilliant Red Fall Color
Red Sunset maple (Acer rubrum 'Franksred') is a fast-growing red maple cultivar that reaches 40 to 50 feet tall and 30 to 40 feet wide, with orange-red to scarlet fall color. Red Sunset maple is hardy in USDA zones 4–8 and grows in full sun to part shade. TN Nursery ships bare-root trees, Buy 1 Get 1 Free.
Red Sunset maple is a selection of the native red maple, Acer rubrum, a member of the soapberry family (Sapindaceae) found wild from Maine and southern Canada to Florida and east Texas, including the river bottoms and hillsides of Tennessee. The species is also called scarlet maple, swamp maple and soft maple. Red Sunset was chosen for its upright, oval crown, strong branch angles and dependable early fall color, which turns the whole tree orange-red to deep scarlet in October. Glossy, three-lobed green leaves give dense summer shade, and clusters of small red flowers open on bare branches in late winter.
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Botanical name: Acer rubrum 'Franksred' (Red Sunset®), soapberry family (Sapindaceae)
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Also called: Red Sunset red maple, Franksred maple, scarlet maple
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Mature size: 40–50 feet tall, 30–40 feet wide, upright oval to rounded crown
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Fall color: orange-red to scarlet, coloring early in the season
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Flowers: small red clusters on bare stems in late winter to early spring, followed by red winged seeds
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Best uses: shade tree, lawn specimen, street and parkway tree, property lines and large yards
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What ships: bare-root trees in 1–2, 2–3, 3–4 and 4–5 ft sizes, as Buy 1 Get 1 Free, Buy 3 Get 2 Free or 25-tree wholesale bundles
How Fast Does a Red Sunset Maple Grow?
Red Sunset maple grows fast, usually adding 1 to 2 feet or more of height per year in full sun and moist, well-drained soil. A young Red Sunset maple can give useful shade within 8 to 10 years of planting.
| Years after planting a 2–3 ft tree |
Approximate height at 1–2 ft per year |
| 3 years |
5–9 feet |
| 5 years |
8–13 feet |
| 10 years |
15–25 feet |
| Mature |
40–50 feet |
Starting with a 3–4 ft or 4–5 ft bare-root Red Sunset maple gives a head start on height, while 1–2 ft trees are an economical way to plant a whole row.
How Big Does a Red Sunset Maple Get?
A Red Sunset maple gets 40 to 50 feet tall and 30 to 40 feet wide at maturity. The crown is upright and oval when young and becomes fuller and rounder with age.
Plant a Red Sunset maple at least 20 feet from the house and 15 feet from driveways and sidewalks so the canopy has room to spread. Space trees 30 to 40 feet apart for a row of shade trees along a drive or property line.
What Is the Difference Between Red Sunset and Autumn Blaze Maple?
Red Sunset maple is a pure red maple (Acer rubrum), while Autumn Blaze is a hybrid of red maple and silver maple (Acer × freemanii). Red Sunset maple is known for its early, deep orange-red to scarlet fall color and its tidy, upright oval crown.
Where Should You Plant a Red Sunset Maple?
Plant a Red Sunset maple in full sun to part shade, in moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil (pH 5.0 to 6.5). At least 6 hours of direct sun gives the strongest growth and the brightest fall color.
Red maples handle a wide range of soils, from sandy loam to clay, and they thrive in low, moist spots and along streams.
How Do You Plant a Bare-Root Red Sunset Maple?
Plant a bare-root Red Sunset maple while the tree is dormant, from late fall through early spring, with the root flare level with the soil surface. Dig the hole twice as wide as the root spread and only as deep as the roots.
At our Altamont, Tennessee nursery, TN Nursery digs Red Sunset maple trees while they are dormant and ships them bare root, with no soil around the roots. Each tree arrives as a dormant whip or branched sapling in the size you choose, with the roots wrapped to stay moist in transit.
- Soak the roots in a bucket of water for 2 to 4 hours.
- Dig a hole twice as wide as the roots and just deep enough to keep the root flare at ground level.
- Spread the roots over a small mound of soil in the center of the hole.
- Backfill with the native soil, firming gently to remove air pockets.
- Water slowly with 5 gallons, then mulch 2 to 3 inches deep.
What Grows Well With Red Sunset Maple?
Spring-flowering understory trees and native shade-loving plants grow well with Red Sunset maple. A redbud tree or white dogwood at the edge of the canopy adds spring flowers before the maple leafs out. Pair Red Sunset maple with a river birch for peeling bark in winter, or with a tupelo tree and a sugar maple for a layered fall display of scarlet, burgundy and gold. Winterberry holly brings red winter berries to moist ground beneath. Gardeners who prefer the wild species can also choose our native red maple tree. For windbreaks, stream buffers and reforestation plantings by the hundred, our red maple seedlings offer the same native species in bulk. Browse more in our shade trees and fast growing trees collections.
Planting & Growing Information
Botanical Name: Acer rubrum 'Franksred' (Red Sunset®)
Plant Family: Sapindaceae
Ships: Bare root, dormant; 1–2, 2–3, 3–4 and 4–5 ft
Planting Zone: 4–8
Height at Maturity: 40–50 feet
Width at Maturity: 30–40 feet
Growth Rate: Fast, 1–2 feet or more per year
Sun or Shade: Full sun to part shade
Water Needs: Moderate to high; water weekly the first two seasons
Soil: Moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil (pH 5.0–6.5); adapts to clay and wet sites
Bloom Season: Late winter to early spring (February–March)
Fall Color: Orange-red to scarlet
Origin: Cultivar of red maple, native to eastern North America
Care: Mulch the root zone each spring. Prune young trees in late winter to keep one strong central leader.
Plant Attributes: Fast growing, brilliant fall color, dense summer shade, adapts to moist soils, native species parentage
Red Sunset Maple FAQ
When does a Red Sunset maple turn red?
A Red Sunset maple turns orange-red to scarlet in early to mid-October in most of zones 4–8, often a week or two before other red maples.
Does a Red Sunset maple flower?
Yes. A Red Sunset maple opens clusters of small red flowers on bare branches in February and March, giving early pollen to bees.
How far apart should you plant Red Sunset maple trees?
Plant Red Sunset maple trees 30 to 40 feet apart for shade, and at least 20 feet from buildings.
Is Red Sunset maple a good shade tree?
Yes. Red Sunset maple is an excellent shade tree, with a dense, symmetrical crown 30 to 40 feet wide and fast growth of 1 to 2 feet or more per year.
Can Red Sunset maple grow in wet soil?
Yes. Red Sunset maple comes from red maple, a native of swamps and stream banks, so Red Sunset maple grows well in moist and seasonally wet soil.
What zones does Red Sunset maple grow in?
Red Sunset maple grows in USDA hardiness zones 4 through 8.
Grown and Shipped by TN Nursery
TN Nursery has grown hardy 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 and ship shade trees like the Red Sunset maple to yards and farms across the country. Each tree is dug while dormant and packed bare root so the roots settle quickly into new soil. Want to learn more first? Read How Fast Does a Red Maple Grow?, Red Maples: A Crimson Touch to Autumn and How to Care for a Newly Planted Maple Tree on our garden blog.
