Sugar: Maple
Acer saccharum
Sugar: Maple (Acer saccharum) is a tree suited to the Colorado Front Range, rated "Recommended for Most Sites" on the 2024 Front Range Tree Recommendation List. It matures to about 50–70 ft tall and 30–45 ft wide, slow-growing, needs medium water, and prefers full sun to partial shade. Sugar maple struggles with our alkaline pH, intense sun, and dry summers, better suited to the eastern US.
medium water50–70 ft tall and 30–45 ft wide
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At a glance
- Rating
- Recommended for Most Sites
- Botanical name
- Acer saccharum
- Variety / cultivar
- Sugar: GREEN MOUNTAIN®, LEGACY®, FALL FIESTA®
- Type
- Tree
- Mature size
- 50–70 ft tall and 30–45 ft wide
- Mature form
- Oval / upright
- Spacing / clearance
- ~45 ft of clearance
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 4–8
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Lifespan
- Long-lived
- Fall color
- Orange, red, yellow
- Water needs
- medium water
- Sun
- Best in full sun; tolerates partial shade.
- Colorado native
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Soil
- clay, loam, sandy
- Soil pH
- 5.5–7.3
- Hail tolerance
- moderate
- Wind tolerance
- moderate
- Salt tolerance
- low
- Pollinator value
- high
Site factors to consider
- Critical: Soil ChemistryIt wants soil on the acid side, but ours runs alkaline, so it yellows between green veins from iron chlorosis and needs treatment to hold color.
- Critical: Soil TextureThe catch is drainage, not the dirt itself; it takes our clay only where water moves through, so avoid low spots and soggy ground.
- Critical: Cold HardinessThe average low suits it fine; our real cold risk is the swings, late frosts, and intense winter sun, so wrap young trunks and give it shelter.
- Critical: Salt ToleranceIt has low salt tolerance, so keep it back from de-iced sidewalks, roadsides, and softener runoff, where salt burns roots and leaf edges.
Wildlife & ecology
- Pollinator value
- high
- Deer
- Not deer-resistant
Common problems on the Front Range
- Aphids and honeydew
- Verticillium wilt on some species
- Leaf scorch in hot, dry, windy sites
These are general tendencies for this group of plants on the Front Range, not a diagnosis. Many are stress-driven and preventable with good siting and watering. For a specific plant or an active problem, consult a certified arborist or your local CSU Extension office.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Sugar: Maple good for the Colorado Front Range?
- Yes, Sugar: Maple is a well-suited tree for Colorado's Front Range, rated "Recommended for Most Sites" on the 2024 Front Range Tree Recommendation List.
- How big does Sugar: Maple get?
- It matures to about 50–70 ft tall and 30–45 ft wide.
- How much room does Sugar: Maple need?
- Give Sugar: Maple about 45 ft of clearance from buildings, fences, and other trees so the mature canopy isn't crowded.
- What shape does Sugar: Maple grow into?
- Sugar: Maple typically grows into an upright-oval crown, taller than it is wide. This is the species' usual mature form, named cultivars (columnar, weeping, or compact selections) can differ, so check the specific cultivar.
- Is Sugar: Maple hardy on the Front Range?
- Sugar: Maple is hardy in USDA 4–8. The Colorado Front Range spans roughly USDA 4b–6a, so it is well within range. That said, it carries a cold-hardiness caution: The average low suits it fine; our real cold risk is the swings, late frosts, and intense winter sun, so wrap young trunks and give it shelter.
- How much water does Sugar: Maple need?
- It needs medium water once established.
- How fast does Sugar: Maple grow?
- Sugar: Maple is a slow-growing tree. Growth rate depends on water and site conditions on the Front Range.
- How long does Sugar: Maple live?
- Sugar: Maple is long-lived, a multi-generational tree given good siting and care. Actual lifespan varies with site, water, and care.
- What color does Sugar: Maple turn in fall?
- Sugar: Maple turns orange, red, and yellow in autumn. Fall color intensity varies with the season and site on the Front Range.
- Is Sugar: Maple native to Colorado?
- No. It is not a Colorado native, but it grows well on the Front Range.
- Is Sugar: Maple deer-resistant?
- No. Sugar: Maple is not considered deer-resistant and may need protection where deer browse.
- Is Sugar: Maple prone to pests or disease on the Front Range?
- Sugar: Maple can be affected by aphids and honeydew and other issues common to this group on the Front Range. These are general tendencies, not a diagnosis, many are stress-driven and preventable with good siting and watering. For a specific plant or an active problem, consult a certified arborist or CSU Extension.
