303.623.8733 (TREE)

Trees of Colorado: Crimson King Norway Maple

Published: July 28, 2022

Tree Care Services

Our ISA Certified Arborists ensure that you get the highest quality tree care.

Free Estimates

We offer free estimates for tree planting, trimming, removal, cabling and bracing.

Plant Health Care Services

We believe in being proactive in preventing insect infestations and disease outbreaks.

The Crimson King is one of a number of maples that adapt well to the high plains environment of Colorado’s Front Range. As its name implies, its leaves are red/burgundy in summer, changing to yellow or brown in late fall making it a popular ornamental tree in landscapes.

Medium-Sized Height with Dense, Rounded Foliage

The Crimson King is a medium-size tree, 40-60 feet tall with a span of around 30-45 feet. Its dense, rounded foliage makes it a great shade tree with several feet of headroom below its lower branches at maturity. Its density also keeps much light from reaching the ground, so other plants, including grass, may not grow well in its shade.

Its familiar star-shaped leaves, portrayed on the Canadian flag, are 4-7 inches long with five lobes, two of which are considerably smaller. It produces unremarkable small green flowers in early spring that become double seed pods (called samaras) with two “helicopter” wings that help wind carry the seeds away from the parent tree to propagate.

Growing Conditions and Maintenance

Seedlings transplant readily in many types of soil and withstand urban pollution well. They like full sun and average to moist soil, but adapt well to all but the driest Front Range conditions and are hardy to Zone 4.

The Crimson King Norway Maple is susceptible to Verticillium Wilt, which can cause leaf blight, but is generally a low-maintenance tree. Pruning, when needed, should be limited to summer after it has fully leafed out to avoid sap bleed in early spring or fall. Watch for seedlings that sprout from its seed drop and pull as needed. It has shallow roots that can cause damage to paved areas if planted too close, and its height means it should be kept away from power lines.

Long Lifespan and Many Varieties

The Crimson King grows at a medium rate, and healthy trees can be expected to live 100 years or more, giving pleasure to generations.

There are several cultivars of Norway Maples, including a dwarf variety, so choose one that’s right for your landscape. And if you’re planning to add a maple to your landscape, or have one that needs maintenance, give us a call for a free planting estimate at 303-623-8733.

Related Posts

Trees of Colorado: The Austrian Pine

While its name may evoke visions of the von Trapps singing their way through the Alps, the Austrian pine is most widespread in the higher regions of the Adriatic coast and Turkey. As for Austria, it’s found in the westernmost Alps near the Swiss and Italian borders. A western subspecies also grows in the mountain regions of Spain and Morocco.
Also known as the black pine, it was widely imported to England and North America. An extremely rugged tree, Austrian pines were widely planted as windbreaks in the Dust Bowl areas of the 1930s where they continue to be popular as landscape trees as well. It has naturalized in southern parts of the US Midwest.

read more

Trees of Colorado: The Autumn Blaze Maple

Are you envious of the beautiful fall colors of New England? Or do you just want a shade tree that will turn heads with a blaze of color when summer turns to fall? Then the Autumn Blaze Maple is the tree for you.

read more

Trees of Colorado: The Mountain Mahogany

If you’re looking for a small tree to accent your low-maintenance landscape, the mountain mahogany is an excellent choice. Native to Colorado’s rocky slopes, when mature, it has an attractive, twisted appearance that some liken to the African savanna.

read more

The Bristlecone Pine

Bristlecone pines are tough customers. They grow where nothing else will and last for centuries. In fact, a Great Basin bristlecone pine in California’s White Mountains has been calculated as being 5,067 years old, making it the oldest known individual tree on earth. Clonal colonies of plants and microorganisms can last for 10,000 or more years—the Pando colony of quaking aspens in Utah, for example—but when it comes to individual organisms, the bristlecone is champ.

read more