Maples for the Southwest?

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pajaritomt Los Alamos, NM(Zone 5a) Nov 12, 2008

My neighbor told me she wanted a maple tree for her yard and I warned her that few of them grow well in our area due to the alkaline soil. I know that the box elder tree and the canyon maple both are native to New Mexico. The canyon maple is small and some people don't like the box elder.
Can any of you name another maple tree that would make a nice shade tree in New Mexico -- at an altitude of 7,300 ft. This neighbor would be willing to water it regularly.
I would appreciate any info you could give me for her.

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Resin Northumberland, United Kingdom(Zone 9a) Nov 12, 2008

Several of the Mediterranean maples should succeed. Ones to try include:
Acer sempervirens (Cretan Maple)
Acer monspessulanum (Montpelier Maple)
Acer obtusifolium (Syrian Maple)
Acer granatense (Spanish Maple)
Acer hyrcanum (Balkan Maple)
Acer opalus (Italian Maple)

If you can't find any of those, Acer campestre (Field Maple) might also be worth a try.

Resin

Post #5780148
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pajaritomt Los Alamos, NM(Zone 5a) Nov 12, 2008

Thanks. I will look for those. Betty

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kman_blue (Zone 6b) Nov 18, 2008

I would look for one of the Caddo Maples(considered either varieties of Sugar Maple(Acer saccharum) or Southern Sugar Maple(A. barbatum)). There are at least 3 cultivars out there. One being 'Dr. John Pair', another being 'Autumn Splendor', and the last being called simply 'Caddo'. They're all derived from Caddo Maples native to SW Oklahoma in hot dry relatively alkaline clay soils and they do great in tough conditions which otherwise scorch or kill "normal" Sugar Maples. This variety has also been reported as having a couple of native outcropings in New Mexico.

Shantung Maple(A. truncatum) has also proven to be a very tough Maple for the Great Plains and parts of the SW. I know it's done well in places like Wichita, KS, Dallas, TX, Oklahoma City, OK, Kansas City, KS, and Amarillo, TX. There's one cultivar called 'Fire Dragon' which has consistent bright red fall colors. I think it might only be available from metromaples.com located in the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX area, which developed it.

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pajaritomt Los Alamos, NM(Zone 5a) Nov 18, 2008

Thanks! I am glad to hear there are more maples than the canyon maple which is very slow growing. I will check out the 3 you mention. I like the idea of a sugar maple.

Post #5806486
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pajaritomt Los Alamos, NM(Zone 5a) Nov 19, 2008

kman_blue,
After looking up the maples you recommend, I am thrilled. All look good and attainable and adaptable to our soil and weather. Unfortunately, the only way we can get "Fire Dragon" is by picking it up in person in Dallas, but the other three are available mail order and at a not too outrageous place.

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