British Columbia is blessed with scenic landscapes covered with attractive evergreen and deciduous trees, loved for their spectacular fall foliage. Maple Trees are one of the finest and most loved ornamental trees grown in the region. Read on to discover some beautiful Maple species and cultivars in the Pacific Province of BC!
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British Columbia features diverse landscapes, from dry interior landscapes to grassy and lush meadows and wet, coastal forests that go on for miles upon miles. You will also find sea-level salty marshes growing a diverse range of wildlife species. The Pacific Province has more than 40 native tree varieties growing in abandon. These include sacred trees like the Cedar Golden Spruce and culturally and nationally symbolic ones like pine, and the Maple species.
British Columbians grow a wide variety of Maple Trees, such as Manitoba Maple and Bigleaf Maple. These trees fall under the genus Acer and include small-sized, shrubby trees as well as tall and stately species. These specimens are well-loved for their spectacular flaming red, yellow-orange, orange, and yellow fall foliage.
Maples also yield beautiful, deep red, two-winged samaras that complement their light-colored, straight-grained wood. These trees offer ample shade because of their dense crown of leaves. If you want to benefit from these large leaves, make sure to grow them in bright, speckled locations so that they receive direct sunlight for about 6 hours of the day. Moreover, keep a check on the soil and water requirements of your chosen Maple Trees to ensure that they grow beautifully.
Here are some Maple tree varieties that you can grow in British Columbia!
1. Bigleaf Maple (Acer Macrophyllum)
Bigleaf Maple is a medium to tall-sized, deciduous tree that grows up to 40 to 75 feet tall. It features an oval to broad-rounded crown decked with deep green, huge, deeply lobed foliage that develops a yellow-orange to yellow hue in autumn. It yields copious pendulous clusters of tiny, greenish-yellow, fragrant blooms. This tree thrives in full sun to partial shade and slightly acidic, moist, well-drained soils.
2. Rocky Mountain Maple (Acer Glabrum)
Rocky Mountain Maple is a delicate, multi-stemmed, 5 to 6.5 feet tall shrub. It features a narrow crown decked with tiny clusters of yellowish-green blossoms. It has erect branches and rounded twigs that feature sharply toothed, coarse, reddish-hued, lobed foliage that develops a light green color in maturity and then turns reddish-orange before dropping.
3. Vine Maple (Acer Circinatum)
Vine Maple is a multi-stemmed, deciduous, broadleaf tree that grows up to 10 to 20 feet tall. It has a spreading crown decked with deeply lobed, heart-shaped, opposite, toothed leaves that turn orange, yellow, and red in autumn. It yields clusters of whitish-green blooms. This tree bears two-winged, scarlet fruits. It thrives in moist soils and shaded locations.
4. Douglas Maple (Acer Glabrum)
Douglas Maple is a 30 feet tall, multi-stemmed Maple cultivar. It features yellowish-green blooms that lead to v-shaped samaras. It features reddish twigs, 3-5 lobed, toothed, green leaves. This tree can withstand colder temperatures and open, drier sites. Its foliage develops distinctive orange, crimson, and yellow colors in autumn. It thrives in well-drained, moist, fertile soils and part shade to full sun.
5. Manitoba Maple (Acer Negundo)
Manitoba Maple is a deciduous, fast-growing tree that grows up to 30 to 50 feet tall. It features a rounded, irregular crown decked with medium green, compound, distinctive, large, odd-pinnate leaves. This tree yields pendulous clusters of greenish-yellow spring blooms. It also bears abundant two-winged samaras. Manitoba Maple thrives in medium to wet soils and full sun.
6. Norway Maple (Acer Platanoides)
Norway Maple is a 40 to 50 feet tall tree with a rounded, dense, symmetrical crown. It’s a deciduous tree with lobed, sharply pointed, sugar maple-like leaves that turn yellow in fall. It features erect clusters of small yellow blooms that give way to winged samaras. This drought-tolerant tree thrives in medium moist, well-drained soils and full sun.
7. Sycamore Maple (Acer Pseudoplatanus)
Sycamore Maple is a 40 to 60 feet tall deciduous tree with a spreading, rounded crown. It features leathery, coarsely-serrate, 5-lobed, dark green leaves with dull green undersides. This tree yields yellow-green blooms that give way to winged samaras. It thrives in well-drained, medium moist soils and full sun to part shade.
