12 Different Types Of Maple Trees You Can Plant

The maple is one of the most beloved tree species on the planet. This tree provides tasty syrup, is used as natural medicine, and gives autumn some of its most vibrant foliage. This makes a maple tree an incredible addition to just about any yard. With more than 100 types of maple trees, however, it can be difficult to decide exactly which type of maple is the best type to plant on your property.

Some popular and beautiful maple tree species include the red, silver, Norway, and Japanese maple. Sugar maples are fantastic trees for those looking to harvest syrup, while hedge maples provide effective and colorful privacy. Coral bark and snake bark maples give beautiful foliage in the fall and have fascinating bark throughout the year. Big leaf, Korean, and sycamore maples are also beautiful trees worth considering.

Maple trees are beautiful, but it takes time for them to grow to their desired height. Therefore, if you want a maple tree in your yard, then there’s no time like the present to plant one. Below is a list of a dozen species of beautiful and unique maple trees that could make the perfect colorful addition to your outdoor landscape. 

12 Beautiful Maple Tree Types You Can Plant In Your Yard

1. Red Maple

If you want a maple that provides the most dramatic and vibrant foliage in the autumn, then the red maple is a great choice. In the fall, many maple species have leaves that turn yellow or orange with hints of brown. Red maple leaves, however, turn a rich red.

In addition to their beautiful foliage, the bark on these trees is a shiny silver, making them an attractive tree throughout the year.

Other highlights of the red maple are that it grows quickly and is more resilient and resistant to drought than other maple species. They thrive in cool climates like New England, but can also grow as far south as Georgia and Florida.

2. Sugar Maple

If you’ve always dreamed of making maple syrup, the sugar maple is the tree you should plant. Both sugar and black maples offer plenty of sweet sap you can turn into syrup. What sets the sugar maple apart, however, is its stunning fall colors.

This tree has leaves that turn from yellow to orange and even red. It offers a spectacular color-changing show that very few trees can match. These trees also attract interesting wildlife in rural areas, including deer, moose, and squirrels. 

3. Japanese Maple

A maple tree that has beautiful leaves throughout the year is the Japanese maple. This maple species has leaves that turn deep red in the late spring and stay this color until they fall in the autumn. 

This makes them a beautiful pop of color in any yard. 

Japanese maples tend to grow to fit the area where they are planted. This makes them great for smaller yards, as they can stay quite small. These trees are also a great option for those looking to grow a bonsai tree.

4. Hedge Maple

If you want the beautiful foliage that maple trees bring, but also want privacy from your neighbors, then a hedge maple is a great option. The hedge maple can act as a privacy screen, especially if you train it to grow in certain directions.

The leaves are dense, offering natural privacy in the spring and summer before they light up in the autumn. This makes for one of the more beautiful privacy hedge options for those who live somewhere with four seasons.

5. Big Leaf Maple

Just as the name suggests, the big leaf maple is known for its characteristically large leaves. Not only are the leaves on this tree giant, but the tree itself is huge. These trees can grow up to 100 feet tall.

This makes them a great long-term investment if you own a large plot of land. They offer fantastic shade and will stand tall for many generations. Keep in mind, however, that with their vast size, these are not good trees to plant near your home, as they can cause potentially catastrophic root damage.

6. Sycamore Maple

If you live in or near a city, especially a windy one, then the sycamore maple is a great option. This maple variety is one of the most resilient to all sorts of potential hazards. It can thrive in polluted cities, and it is resistant to strong winds. It can even handle salty air, making it a great maple for those who live near the shore.

The sycamore maple does well in various soil types, and it grows faster than many other maples. If you have had limited success keeping your maple trees alive, give this tree a try.

7. Coral Bark Maple

The coral bark is a maple tree that is as unique as it is beautiful. It gets its name from the beautifully colored branches and trunk this tree shows off throughout the year. The bark is a rich red, which contrasts beautifully with the green leaves in the spring and summer months.

In the autumn, this variety of Japanese maple’s leaves turn bright yellow, which adds even more drama to this already colorful tree. These trees are easy to grow and resistant to most pests. The coral bark maple also suffers from leaf scorch far less than other Japanese maple varieties. 

8. Trident Maple

The trident maple is named after its three-pronged leaves, which resemble a trident. In the spring and summer, these leaves are dense and offer great shade. In the fall, they light up in burnt orange and bright red colors.

This tree also has interesting bark. As it ages, the bark peels away, revealing a new orange bark that stays this color in all seasons. The trident maple is another tree that’s resistant to pollution, making it good for urban areas where there’s plenty of space to grow this tree.

9. Norway Maple

The Norway maple is another one of the best maple varieties for those looking to plant a tree that gives off beautiful fall foliage. This winter-hardy maple tree not only offers bright yellow leaves in the autumn, but it is also a tree that’s great for the planet.

Its leaves are excellent at absorbing CO2, and give off a ton of oxygen. This makes this tree beautiful and helpful in the fight against climate change.

10. Silver Maple

Silver maples are best known for the shiny silver color on the underside of their leaves. This shimmer is particularly poetic when there’s a breeze, as are the winged seeds this tree produces. 

In addition to this whimsy, the silver maple also produces lovely flowers in the spring and stunning foliage in the fall. The silver is also easy to care for once it's established, making it a good option for those looking to plant a low-maintenance maple tree.

11. Korean Maple

If you want a Japanese maple but live in a climate that is too cold for those trees, try a Korean maple tree. This winter-hardy maple tree offers beautiful colors in the fall, and also has beautiful fan leaves similar to a Japanese maple. If you live in a cold climate but are desperate for some fall foliage, consider the Korean maple.

12. Snakebark Maple

One very unique-looking maple tree is the snakebark maple. This tree gets its name from its green and white striped trunk. Its trunk and branches resemble a snake’s body, and it is certainly one of the most attractive of all maples from a branch and trunk perspective. 

The snakebark maple is native to Asia, but is commonly found throughout the Pacific Northwest. Planting this tree is a real statement, as it is a joy to look at year-round, not just when its leaves change color.

Summing Up Different Maple Trees You Can Grow In Your Yard

Maple trees are one of the most iconic and useful trees on the planet. They provide beautiful colors of fall, and maple syrup is one of the tastiest sweet flavors on Earth. 

If you are struggling to decide which of the 100 types of maple trees you should plant, consider one with incredible foliage like the red, sugar, or Norway maple. 

Big leaf maples are great for those who want a giant tree, while sycamore and silver maples are more resilient. Japanese maples are great in smaller spaces, while hedge maples are ideal for providing privacy.

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