Light Needs
Mature Height
Mature Spread
Growing Zones
The Sugar Maple is a beloved American native, famous for its dazzling fall foliage that transforms from deep green to brilliant shades of orange, yellow, and red. This stately deciduous tree provides cool shade in summer with its large, dense canopy and creates a show-stopping display in autumn.
With a mature height of 60–70 feet and a spread of 50–60 feet, it’s the perfect tree for spacious landscapes, parks, and open lawns. Long-lived and resilient, the Sugar Maple is also an iconic source of maple syrup, making it both ornamental and practical.
Sugar Maple Care
Plant Sugar Maple in full sun for the best fall color, though it can tolerate partial shade. It thrives in deep, fertile, slightly acidic, well-drained soil and should be placed where its roots won’t face compaction. Water regularly during the first few years to establish a strong root system, and provide supplemental water during prolonged droughts.
Avoid fertilizing during the first year after planting, then use a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring if needed. Prune only in late summer, when sap flow is low, to remove dead, damaged, or crossing branches. With proper care, Sugar Maple is generally low-maintenance and hardy in USDA Zones 4–8.
Sugar Maple Spacing
Because of its impressive mature size, plan ahead when planting. Space Sugar Maples at least 50 feet apart to allow their rounded canopies to develop fully without crowding. For larger landscapes, use groupings of trees spaced 50–60 feet apart for natural groves, or plant as a standalone specimen to showcase its stunning fall foliage.
Why Grow Sugar Maple?
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Renowned for its brilliant orange, red, and yellow fall color
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Provides dense summer shade with a broad canopy
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Hardy, long-lived, and low-maintenance once established
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Native to North America; excellent for supporting local ecosystems
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Iconic source of maple syrup
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Grows 60–70 feet tall and 50–60 feet wide; perfect for large spaces
The Sugar Maple is a true four-season treasure—lush green shade in summer, breathtaking autumn color, and a legacy tree that stands tall for generations.
Sugar Maple Information
| USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 - 8 |
| Plant Type: |
| Light Exposure: Full Sun (At Least 6 Hours Of Direct Sunlight) |
| Mature Height: 60 - 70 Feet |
| Mature Spread: 50 - 60 Feet |
| Spacing: 50 - 60 Feet |
| Habit: Upright |
| Flower Color(s): Green |
| Flower Description: Green Shades, Multi-color |
| Bloom Period: Spring to Summer |
| Foliage Type: Deciduous |
| Foliage Color(s): Green, Orange, Red, Yellow |
| Foliage Description: Green to mixture of Yellow, Orange, and Red from September to Fall |
| Seasonal Interest: Spring Flowering, Summer Flowering, Fall Interest, 3 Season Interest |
| Watering: Average |
| Resists: N/A |
| Tolerates: N/A |
| Attracts: Birds |
| Container Role: |
| Uses: Borders |
| Features: Attracts Pollinators, Foliage Interest, Native to North America |
| Brand: |
| Common Name: Sugar Maple |
| Other Name(s): Hard Maple, Leucoderme |
| Scientific Name: Acer saccharum |
Simple Plant Spacing Calculator
Please Note: The pictures below are to give a general representation of the different container sizes. The actual size/ages of plants are estimates and will vary based on type of plant, time of year, last pruning & many other factors.
Also Known As:
Quart
Plant Age:
~ 6 months - 1 year
Plant Size:
~ 4"-8"
Pot Size:
~ 4.75"H x 4.5"W
Volume:
1.50 quarts
Also Known As:
2.5 Quart Pot
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 8"-12"
Pot Size:
~ 6.5"H x 6.5"W
Volume:
2.20-2.30 quarts
Also Known As:
#1 Container
1 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 10"-14"
Pot Size:
~ 7"H x 7.75"W
Volume:
2.26-3.73 quarts
Also Known As:
#2 Container
2 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1.5 - 3 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-18"
Pot Size:
~ 9.5"H x 9.5"W
Volume:
1.19-1.76 gallons
Also Known As:
#3 Container
3 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 2 - 4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-30"
Pot Size:
~9.5"H x 11"W
Volume:
2.32-2.76 gallons
Also Known As:
#5 Container
5 Gallon
Plant Age:
~3-4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 20" - 60"
Pot Size:
~11" H x 10 1/2” W
Volume:
3.5 - 4 gallons
We stand behind our plants with industry-leading guarantees to give you peace of mind.
We want your plants to arrive in great condition! If you notice any issues upon delivery, contact us within 3 days.
Starting January 1, 2026 all bushes, perennials & trees purchased come with an extended 1-year warranty for added confidence. If your plant dies due to a health issue within a year, we’ll make it right.
Pre-ordered plants are scheduled to ship in Spring 2026. We carefully plan our shipping dates based on your USDA Plant Hardiness Zone to ensure optimal planting conditions upon arrival. Want it sooner/later? Reach out, and we'll try our best to accommodate.
Estimated ship week for pre-ordered plants will ship based on growing zones as shown below.
| Growing Zone | Estimated Ship Week |
|---|---|
| Zone 10 | March 30th |
| Zone 9 | March 30th |
| Zone 8 | April 6th |
| Zone 7 | April 13th |
| Zone 6b | April 20st |
| Zone 6a | April 27th |
| Zone 5b | May 4th |
| Zone 5a | May 11th |
| Zone 4 | May 18th |
| Zone 3 | May 25th |
Note: These are only estimated ship dates. Plants may ship out later depending on weather & growing conditions of the plant.
Note: Only plants indicated as pre-order will ship as shown above. All other plants and hard goods will ship as normal.
Plants that are currently in stock typically ship within 2-7 business days after your order is placed.
Plant Addicts ships to the lower 48 states within the U.S. Unfortunately, we do not currently ship to Alaska, Hawaii, or internationally.
This plant cannot be shipped to the following states: AK, HI. These restrictions apply only to this specific plant due to agricultural regulations or other limitations. Other plants may still be available for shipping to these states.
If you have any questions about shipping restrictions, feel free to reach out to our team!