Capture Fall Colors In Your Yard With This Gorgeous Fast-Growing Tree

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Is there a more breath-taking a sight than watching rows of trees with beautiful burnt-orange foliage adorn a landscape with their grandeur during fall? Probably not. Bright fall colors on the leaves contrast with the dark branches underneath to paint a picture on the natural canvas that announces both the end of another summer of triumph as well as preparation for the upcoming battles of winter. Maple trees offer some of the best visions of this kind during fall; and the Freeman maple in particular is a tree you can grow right in your yard and start enjoying the gorgeous fruits (or foliage, in this case) of your labor at a rapid pace as well.

The Freeman maple (Acer x freemanii) is a cross between two native maples, the silver maple and the red maple. A stunning example of natural cross-pollination including the benefits offered by such hybridization, this tree brings home the best of both its parents with features such as speedy growth, stronger wood, brilliant red-orange color during fall, and a stronger resilience against conditions such as chlorosis. 

Its resistance to urban pollution is yet another phenomenal value addition that makes planting the Freeman maple an indispensable item to check off in your ultimate fall to-do list for the garden of your dreams. The tree was named after Oliver Freeman, who was responsible for manually cross-pollinating the two maple species. This variety can grow up to 60 feet in height and 40 feet in width, with some cultivars such as the 'Autumn Fantasy' growing 3 to 4 feet every year. No wonder they are the stand out choice for decorating a city's landscape as street trees or parkway trees.

Freeman maple is hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 8 and likes moist and well-drained soil. Having said that, the tree shows good tolerance to a variety of soil types, from alkaline clay to too-wet or too-dry soil. The tree is not too finicky about its sunlight requirements either, and you can plant it in a region that either gets full sun exposure (six hours or more a day) or in partial shade. However, if you want the best display of foliage for fall, give the tree plenty of sun. 

Although you can propagate Freeman maple from stem cuttings or grafts, the best way to grow this hybrid species in your yard is by transplanting a purchased sapling. Dig a hole that is two or three times as wide as the container of the sapling and plant it just as deep as the current height of its root base. Water it well and fill the hole with soil. The tree stays in great shape naturally, making it one of the beautiful garden plants you don't have to prune, unless you're removing diseased, deformed, or pest-infested branches. You get a number of options with this plant, with cultivars like the 'Autumn Blaze', 'Armstrong', and 'Autumn Fantasy', all displaying beautiful orange-red to deep, fiery red foliage during fall.

One of the major downsides of the rapid speed of growth of this species is that its wood can be quite soft and is therefore prone to breakage. Growing four times as fast in comparison to the red maple, Freemans can easily fall prey to limb failure or develop a poor structure—conditions that also haunt its fast-growing parent, the silver maple. Therefore, the primary precaution to take while growing Freeman maple is to protect its bark from the damages of both harsh frost and dry summers. This is where a tree guard, such as ZeeDix 3-Layer Waterproof Tree Wrap, can be an easy and effective way to protect your plant from frost damage after transplanting. 

Additionally, keep in mind that the tree has a shallow root system and there have been instances of young Freeman trees being uprooted after heavy storms. In cultivars such as the 'Autumn Blaze', the roots can also cause havoc by emerging through sidewalks and lawns, causing further maintenance headaches for gardeners. Apart from the internal elements, you need to also watch out for pest infestations from aphids and borers, fungal diseases such as the verticillium wilt, and symptoms of distress like the leaf scorch.