Hot Wings™ Tatarian Maple

Light Needs

Full Sun

(At Least 6 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

15-18 Feet

Mature Spread

12-15 Feet

Growing Zones

4 to 10

Hot Wings™ Tatarian Maple turns summer seed production into its best color show. Scientifically known as Acer tataricum 'GarAnn', this maple carries scarlet red winged samaras against green foliage for weeks, giving the tree a flowering look after the spring bloom has passed. Yellow-white flowers appear in spring, followed by orange-red to yellow fall color on a rounded, small-tree frame, 15–20 feet tall and wide. We find it especially useful where a yard needs a compact ornamental tree with more than one season of interest.

This Plant Select® introduction was discovered in Fort Collins, Colorado, as a chance seedling with stronger color and dependable performance in tough western conditions. Tatarian maple is native from southeastern Europe into western Asia, and this selection keeps that adaptable nature while offering better ornamental fruit display. It tolerates cold winters, dry periods once established, and alkaline soils better than many ornamental maples. Use it near patios, along open fence lines, under higher utility lines, or as a broad screening tree where a full-size maple would outgrow the space.

Hot Wings™ Tatarian Maple Care

Plant Hot Wings™ Tatarian Maple in full sun to partial shade, with the strongest samara color and fall color developing in more sun. It grows in clay, loam, or sandy soil as long as drainage is good, and it handles neutral to alkaline soil pH better than many maples. Avoid low, soggy sites because this tree performs best with moderate to dry soil moisture after establishment.

Water deeply during the first growing season when the soil is dry about 3 inches down, soaking the root ball rather than giving light surface water. Established trees usually need extra water only during long dry stretches, especially in heat or windy conditions. Fertilize lightly in early spring only if growth is weak or soil is poor, and expect this deciduous tree to drop its leaves in fall before winter dormancy.

Prune Hot Wings™ Tatarian Maple when young to guide it into a single-trunk tree or a multi-stem ornamental form. Remove crossing branches, suckers, storm-damaged wood, and crowded interior stems during late winter or after the spring sap flow has slowed. Avoid heavy early-spring pruning on maples because cuts can bleed sap, which is usually not fatal but can be messy.

Hot Wings™ Tatarian Maple Spacing

Space Hot Wings™ Tatarian Maple 15 to 20 feet apart, and plant at least 10 to 12 feet from buildings when allowing it to mature naturally. For a container, use a large 25-gallon or larger planter with drainage and treat it as a patio specimen that may eventually need in-ground space. Pair it with catmint, salvia, potentilla, or daylilies in sunny beds where the companion plants can handle the same well-drained, moderate-to-dry conditions.

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