Norway maple vs Red maple

Norway maple and Red maple are often considered for the same spot in the garden (shade, specimen). The data below shows where they differ: size, hardiness, care, toxicity and price.

Norway maple

Acer platanoides 8 m × 6 m after 10 years

A large native shade tree with a dense, rounded crown that flowers yellowish green and honey-scented before the leaves open and turns golden yellow in…

Large tree

Full sun

Part shade

Red maple

Acer rubrum 6 m × 4 m after 10 years

A medium-sized shade tree with a dense crown, grown for its fiery orange-red autumn foliage; in early spring small red flowers cover the bare twigs.…

Large tree

Full sun

Part shade

Key differences

Norway maple grows larger: 8 m × 6 m after ten years, against 6 m × 4 m for Red maple (an estimate: sources differ).
Norway maple also takes chalky soil, Red maple prefers acidic soil and struggles on chalk.

Which one to choose?

Norway maple is the better choice if the soil is chalky.

Red maple is the better choice if space is tight.

Watch out for

Norway maple

It is susceptible to verticillium wilt, which kills branches suddenly and cannot be cured. Winter sun can crack and scald the bark of young trunks. In the hot, dry summers of Central Europe, especially in paved urban settings, leaf margins scorch, and powdery mildew and tar spot are common on the foliage; stressed trees drop their leaves early. The shallow roots heave pavements and driveways.

Red maple

On the often calcareous, alkaline garden soils of Central Europe the leaves turn yellow between the veins (manganese and iron chlorosis), growth stalls and the autumn colour fails; the same happens on persistently dry soil. In hot, dry summers the leaf edges scorch without watering. Verticillium wilt can be fatal, and aphids, leafhoppers, scale and borers also occur. The wood is rather brittle, wind and ice can break branches, and it is not a tree for a windy site. The shallow, dense root mat can lift nearby pavements and driveways, and little else grows beneath it.

The data side by side

Feature	Norway maple	Red maple
Group	Large tree	Large tree
Size after 10 years	8 m × 6 m (uncertain)	6 m × 4 m (uncertain)
Ultimate size	12–30 m × 9–20 m	12–25 m × 9–15 m
Growth rate	Fast	Fast
Light	Full sun, Part shade	Full sun, Part shade
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous, Acidic	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Acidic
Hardiness	down to -34 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)	down to -40 °C (USDA 3, RHS H7)
Heat tolerance	Medium	Medium (uncertain)
Foliage	Deciduous	Deciduous
Flowering	April–May, yellow, green	March–April, red
Water need	Medium	Medium
Drought tolerance	Medium	Medium
Maintenance	Medium	Low
Planting distance	1000 cm	800 cm
For dogs	no data	Non-toxic
For cats	no data	Non-toxic
For children	no data	Non-toxic (uncertain)

Prices are rounded, indicative values. Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor. Data updated: October 17, 2026

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