Seedless Maple Trees
Several seedless maple varieties are available, either hybrids or male selections that do not produce seeds. Most notable are the freemanii cultivars
Acer freemanii ‘Autumn Blaze’ Autumn Blaze Maple
Zones: 3-8
Full sun to Part Shade
Height: 50-60’
Spread: 40-50’
Shape: Oval to rounded
Growth Rate: Very fast, 3 feet or more per year
Soil Preference: Adaptable, tolerates clay. Prefers acidic soil, from 5.1 to 6.0
Moisture Preference: Adaptable, tolerates drought
Foliage: Dense, medium green
Blooms: Reddish clusters on females
Fruit: Seedless or nearly seedless
Autumn Blaze Maple is a hybrid cross between a red maple and silver maple. It is drought and moisture tolerant. Leaves open with a reddish tint in spring. Branching habit is well balanced with an oval to rounded crown and a strong central leader. Branches are ascending at a 45 degree angle. Its’ uniform shape requires little or no pruning. Weaker wood characteristics of the silver maple have been inherited, but not as susceptible to storm damage with superior crotch angles. Hardy reliable grower, in ideal conditions growing easily over 3 feet per year. Tolerates drought. More drought and pH tolerant than the red maple. Gorgeous fall color of brilliant red orange lasts longer than other maples and of the freemanii varieties has the most intense red to red-orange fall color. New branch growth may retain some red coloring through winter. Very easy to grow and very adaptable to most conditions. Fertilize once a year in early spring with a slow release fertilizer.
There are several other varieties of the Acer freemanii, not all are seedless:
‘Armstrong’ has a strong upright growing habit, nearly columnar when young. Crown is open and round, widened to a narrow oval at maturity. Fall color is orange-yellow to red. Good shade or street tree or for narrow places. Will hold up in extreme environmental conditions. Red seeds attract birds. Hardy to zone 3, grows 45-70’ tall and 15-25’ wide.
‘Autumn Fantasy’ has larg leaves with deep ruby red fall color. Reaches 45-50’ tall and 35-40’ wide with a broad rounded crown producing dense shade. Will thrive in average soil and prefers moist conditions but will tolerate drought very well. Very adaptable. Hardy in zones 3-9. Rarely produces seeds.
‘Celzam’ Celebration is more compact with red and golden yellow fall color. It is very disease resistant, tolerant of urban pollution and strong limbs and crotches withstand snow and ice. Requires no pruning to maintain a nice rounded pyramid shape. Reaches 45’ high and 20-25’ wide. Blooms are red. A male variety with no seeds.
‘Indian Summer’ is most similar to a Red Maple. Crown is oval to rounded. Fall foliage is a bright rosy red. Known in Canada as ‘Morgan’.
‘Marmo’ is quite large reaching up to 80’ and 35-40’ wide. It has an upright oval to columnar crown with red-maroon fall color contrasted with green and yellow patches. Tolerant of urban conditions and a wide range of soil conditions including heavy clay. Hardy to zone 4. Seedless.
‘Scarlet Sentinel’ has an upright habit with a columnar to oval crown. Fall color is yellow-orange to red. Grows quickly to 50’ tall and 25’ wide. Grows well in full sun to part shade and is hardy in zones 3-8. Flowers are sparse with no seeds.
Acer x freemani ‘Sienna Glen’ Sienna Glen Maple
Sienna Glen is a unique variety of Autumn Blaze Maple that was discovered in Minnesota. Hardy in zones 3-6, it has superior winter hardiness, is more resistant to sun scald and frost cracking, and tolerates adverse conditions including wind and ice. Will tolerate wet soils, alkaline and salt spray. Leaves are slightly smaller giving it a more delicate appearance than the Autumn Blaze. Form is slightly more pyramidal. Fall color includes red orange as well as burgundy. Reaches 50’ tall and 40’ wide.
Acer rubrum ‘Brandywine’ Brandywine Red Maple
Zones: 4-8
Sun to Part Sun
Height: 25’ or more
Spread: 12’ or more
Shape: Oval
Growth Rate: Medium to fast
Soil Preference: Prefers moist, slightly acidic, but is widely adaptable.
Moisture: Prefers moist
Foliage: Medium green
Blooms: Red small blooms, only male
Fruit: Seedless
‘Brandywine’ red maple is a cross between ‘October Glory’ and ‘Autumn Flame’ acer rubrums. Fall color is a brilliant red-purple, beginning red and turning brilliant red-purple. Excellent lawn or street tree.
Acer rubrum ‘Jamestown’ Jamestown Maple
Zones: 4-8
Sun to Part Sun
Height: 40-70’
Spread: 25-35’
Shape:
Growth Rate: Medium to fast
Soil Preference: Prefers moist but is widely adaptable.
Moisture: Average moisture requirements
Foliage: Deep green and dense
Blooms: Red small blooms, only male
Fruit: Seedless
Jamestown Red Maple is a seedless variety of acer rubrum ‘Autumn Flame’. It grows faster than the ‘Autumn Flame’ and has a dense branching habit. Fall color is two toned with bright red leaf tips.
Acer rubrum ‘Somerset’ Red Maple
Zones: 4-8
Sun to Part Sun
Height: 23’ or more
Spread: 12’ or more
Shape: Oval
Growth Rate: Medium to fast
Soil Preference: Adaptable, prefers slightly acid
Moisture: Prefers moist soils
Foliage: Green
Blooms: Red small blooms, only male
Fruit: Seedless
Somerset Maple is a cross between ‘October Glory’ and ‘Autumn Flame’ acer rubrums. Brilliant red fall color is exceptionally long lasting, and will color well as far south as Georgia. ‘Somerset’ is significantly more resistant to the effects of the potato leafhopper, often quite damaging to red maples. Performs well in diverse locations. Excellent lawn or street tree.
Acer rubrum ‘Sun Valley’ Red Maple
Zones: 4-7
Sun to Part Sun
Height: 21’ or more
Spread: 10’ or more
Shape: Symmetrically oval
Growth Rate: Medium to fast
Soil Preference: Adaptable, prefers slightly acidic
Moisture: Prefers moist soil
Foliage: Green
Blooms: Red small blooms, only male
Fruit: Seedless
‘Sun Valley’ Maple is a cross between ‘’Red Sunset’ and ‘Autumn Flame’ acer rubrums. Brilliant red fall color is exceptionally long lasting and consistently displays good color. ‘Sun Valley’ is significantly more resistant to the effects of the potato leafhopper, often quite damaging to red maples. Performs well in diverse locations. Excellent lawn or street tree.
*Also see the Acer rubrum Red Maples ‘Autumn Flame’, ‘October Glory’ and ‘Red Sunset’. Male specimens are seedless.
Acer saccharinum ‘Mareltoi’
Mareltoi may be the only seedless Silver Maple available. It is slow growing and has distinctively split lacy leaves. The wood of the ‘Mareltoi’ is much harder than most silver maples. Mature height would be expected about one-third the height of most silver maples, could nearly be considered a dwarf. Resistant to insects and blight. Very cold hardy.