Is Silver maple hardy?

Hardy down to -34 °C (USDA zone 4, RHS H7). It gets through winter in every part of the country.

How far from the house should Silver maple be planted?

Plant it at least 6 m from buildings. Keep it at least 4 m from paving.

When does Silver maple flower?

Flowering: March–April, yellow, green, red.

How much water does Silver maple need?

Water need: medium. Drought tolerance: medium.

What should I plant instead of Silver maple?

We do not recommend it for most Central European gardens. For a similar purpose we recommend: American lime, Bald cypress, Common alder, English oak.

Silver maple

Acer saccharinum

Silver maple (Acer saccharinum) is a large tree. Light: full sun, part shade. Hardy down to -34 °C. Drought tolerance: medium. Sold in local shops from about €36. We do not recommend it for most Central European gardens.

Illustration of Silver maple — An illustration of the typical shape of the mature plant, not a photo.

What it's good for, and what it isn't

A very fast, very large maple whose deeply cut leaves flash silvery undersides in the wind. It only suits a really big garden, a park or a low, wet plot with room to spare: the brittle branches snap in storms and the shallow roots lift paving and get into drains. Keep it well away from the house, paths, the driveway and buried services, and pick something else for an ordinary family garden.

We do not recommend this plant

We do not recommend it for most Central European gardens. Further down we show what to plant instead.

Watch out for

The fast-grown, soft wood is brittle: large limbs break in storms and under wet snow or ice, and forked stems split, so it needs regular crown care. Shallow, vigorous roots lift pavements and paving and grow into cracked drain pipes. In late spring it drops masses of winged seeds that germinate at once, so seedlings have to be weeded out of beds and gutters. Leaves can turn yellow (iron chlorosis) on strongly alkaline soil. It is also prone to verticillium wilt, leaf spots, scale insects and borers. In Central Europe it escapes here and there along rivers, but it is not on any official invasive list.

Key facts

Light: Full sun, Part shade
Water need: Medium
Care: High
Size after 10 years: 8 m × 5 m
Hardiness: down to -34 °C
Foliage: Deciduous
Flowering: J F M A M J J A S O N D March–April, yellow, green, red

Group	Large tree
Light	Full sun, Part shade
Size after 10 years	8 m × 5 m
Ultimate size	15–25 m × 12–20 m
Hardiness	down to -34 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Acidic
Foliage	Deciduous
Flowering	March–April, yellow, green, red
Water need	Medium
Drought tolerance	Medium
Maintenance	High
Root aggressiveness	High
Suckering	no
Spreading	Medium
Distance from buildings	at least 6 m
Distance from paving	at least 4 m
Litter	Fruit, Leaves
Planting distance	1200 cm
For dogs	no data
For cats	no data
For children	no data
Typical price	from about €36

Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.

What to plant instead

Recommended plants that do the same job, with similar characteristics.

American lime

Tilia americana 7 m × 4 m after 10 years

A large, fast-growing lime with strikingly big dark green leaves, up to 20 cm long, and fragrant pale yellow flowers in early summer that bees visit…

Large tree

Full sun

Part shade

from about €150

Bald cypress

Taxodium distichum 5 m × 2.5 m after 10 years

A deciduous conifer: its soft, light green, feathery foliage turns russet or coppery brown in autumn and then falls together with the short side…

Large tree

Full sun

Part shade

from about €30

Common alder

Alnus glutinosa 8 m × 4 m after 10 years

A fast-growing native tree for wet, boggy places: a stream bank, a pond side or a low-lying, waterlogged corner where other trees fail. Bacteria…

Large tree

Full sun

Part shade

from about €42

English oak

Quercus robur 7 m × 5 m after 10 years

A native tree that lives for centuries and grows huge, with a broad, rounded crown and lobed leaves; it is home to a great many insects and birds.…

Large tree

Full sun

Part shade

from about €28

Sizes and prices available

The same plant is sold as a small pot and as a specimen several metres tall, and the price follows. Prices are rounded and for guidance only.

Size	Typical price
size not stated	approx. €36

Frequently asked questions

Data updated: October 8, 2026 · How our data is made