After dropping its leaves in the fall to brave the winter with bare branches, the maple tree finally starts waking up in the spring. Watching it unfold its beauty step-by-step is one of the true joys of the season, but your maple could definitely use a little helping hand to look its best.
When Do Maples Start Blooming?
Maples are definitely spring lovers, but exactly when they start their show depends on the specific variety. The North American natives are usually the early birds. The Silver Maple kicks things off in February or March, followed by the Red Maple a few weeks later. Starting in April, other common varieties join in: the Norway Maple, the Sycamore Maple (which, fun fact, can take 25 to 40 years to reach blooming age!), and the Hedge Maple. The Asian varieties are the late bloomers, never starting before May and often showing off their colors well into June.
Pro Tip:
If you’re looking to plant a maple hedge, the hardy Hedge Maple is your best friend. It stays relatively low, grows in a nice compact, shrub-like shape, and—most importantly for a hedge—it handles frequent pruning like a champ.
A Quick Guide to Maple Blooms
- Silver Maple: Yellow-green male flowers and red female flowers appearing in clusters on bare branches.
- Red Maple: Vibrant red, dense flower clusters that pop before the leaves sprout.
- Sycamore Maple: Yellow-green flowers in hanging clusters that appear right along with the new leaves.
- Hedge Maple: Subtle yellow-green flowers in panicles that show up with the new growth.
- Norway Maple: Similar to the Hedge Maple, but these flowers arrive before the leaves.
- Japanese Laceleaf Maple: Beautiful white and yellow flowers in umbrella-like clusters that smell absolutely amazing.
- Amur Maple: Starts with red tones that eventually turn brown.
Spring Maintenance Tasks
Early spring is the perfect time to grab your shears and shape up your Hedge Maples or Asian varieties; however, most other maples prefer pruning in the fall. If you’re planning on planting a more frost-sensitive Asian variety, spring is the ideal time to get it in the ground.
If you’ve been overwintering a maple indoors, it’s finally time to move it back outside. For potted maples that spent the winter outdoors, go ahead and remove their protective winter wrapping. Come April, it’s time to start a regular fertilizing routine. For maples planted in the yard, they’ll really appreciate a nice helping of compost in the spring.
And for those of you looking to grow a maple from seed, you’ll want to get started early in the spring, ideally between March and April.
