Name: Freeman’s maple
Latin Name: Acer x freemani
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Freeman’s maple is a hybrid between two North American maples, the red maple and the silver maple. It was first made deliberately in 1933 by a scientist trying to create a faster-growing tree with better autumn colour.
Information:
Freeman’s maple is a handsome, fast-growing tree that really shows off in autumn. Its leaves have three to five pointed lobes, with a green top and a silvery underside that flashes in the breeze. In October they turn brilliant shades of orange and red, making it one of the most eye-catching trees in the autumn.
This tree is a cross between the red maple and the silver maple. It combines the red maple’s fiery autumn colour with the silver maple’s speed of growth and tough, adaptable nature. Many of the Freeman’s maples planted in Britain are named varieties, chosen for their reliable colour.
In early spring, before the leaves open, small red flowers appear on the bare branches. These are a useful early source of pollen and nectar for bees emerging after winter. The seeds ripen in pairs of winged “helicopters” that spin down to the ground.
Like all trees, Freeman’s maple soaks up carbon, provides shade and gives shelter to insects and birds. It is a good reminder that a tree can look beautiful and be useful to wildlife at the same time.
