I've only seen this large, mother tree right on the edge of Lake Marmo that is a small lake on the west side of Morton Arboretum in Lisle...Read More, IL. I've never seen the cultivar of "Marmo' sold in nurseries. 'Autumn Blaze' is the most common cultivar and there are some of the columnar cultivar of "Armstrong" sold and planted around. I remember some 'Armstrongs' planted at the University of Illinois in the 1970's. 'Marmo' is supposed to get a good red fall color with some green patches interspersed. This hybrid species between the Red Maple X the Silver Maple is used more in the Midwest where the soil is often slightly alkaline, where the Red Maple, which is a better quality shade tree than the other, can develop magnesium deficiency chlorosis with higher pH, while the Silver Maple is more adaptable to higher pH. However, I remember a few Silver Maples that developed chlorosis in the Chicago area in higher pH (alkaline) soils, probably above 7.5. Silver Maple, also called Soft Maple, tends to get rather large and is somewhat weak-wooded and is not recommended for smaller yards.
I've only seen this large, mother tree right on the edge of Lake Marmo that is a small lake on the west side of Morton Arboretum in Lisle...Read More