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<< Previous   of   Next >> Lynne Thompson/Great Plant Picks  (click to enlarge)   ADVERTISEMENT   Related Stories • Plant pick: Vine maple 10/29/09 • Plant pick: Dwarf plumbago 10/8/09 • Plant pick: umbrella bamboo 9/24/09 • Plant pick: Mount Vernon variety of dwarf English laurel 9/17/09 • Plant pick: Evergreen huckleberry 9/10/09 • Plant pick: Kentucky coffee tree 9/3/09 • Plant pick: Taipei Silk toad lily 8/27/09 • Plant pick: Golden bluebeard 8/20/09 • Plant pick: golden catalpa 8/13/09 • Plant pick: Etoile Violette clematis 8/6/09 • Plant pick: Preziosa hydrangea 7/30/09 • Plant pick: Sedum pachyclados 7/23/09 • Plant pick: Moonglow sweet bay magnolia 7/16/09   CONTACT THE HERALD Melanie Munk, Features Editor munk@heraldnet.com   Published: Thursday, October 15, 2009 Plant pick: Apollo sugar maple WHAT: Many sugar maples eventually grow to dominate their surroundings, not so with Apollo sugar maple, also known as acer saccharum Barrett Cole. This slow-growing columnar tree will mature to about half the height of other sugar maples. WHY PLANT IT: Its dense, symmetrical growth becomes a spire of brilliant orange and red with undertones of golden yellow in the fall. This is an excellent selection for use as a street tree or in a small urban garden. WHERE: Sugar maples grow best in a rich, fertile, well-drained soil with exposure to full sun for the most intense fall color. These are not especially drought tolerant trees and do best with regular summer watering. HOW: Plant it near other small trees and shrubs that have intense fall color or in front of an evergreen backdrop for a bright contrast in autumn. Prune to prevent rubbing and crossing branches on young trees. Once this tree starts to mature, little pruning is needed. ACTUAL SIZE: Apollo sugar maple slowly reaches about 30 feet tall 12 feet wide in about 30 years. It has a tight, upright form that gradually develops into a densely branched symmetrical upright column. LEARN MORE: See www.greatplantpicks.org READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

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