Here in Western Oregon, peak fall color generally coincides with Halloween week and treats us to a show of spooky beautiful foliage! While trick or treaters roam the streets in search of sweet treats, we marvel at the delicious arboreal eye candy presented by street and landscape trees. Unlike the candy collected on Halloween, the sweet show of autumn color continues right on through mid-November when the last of the leaves drift to the rain-soaked ground.
Rising from the JFS office parking lot like the Great Pumpkin, our big Norwegian Sunset® Maple can be counted on to flaunt its pumpkin-orange fall color on Halloween night and beyond. Not to be outshone by its larger “sibling,” Pacific Sunset® Maple glows bright with reddish orange tones. Both were planted in our office landscape in 1995.
Announced as “The Perfect Marriage” when introduced to the trade in 1990, these pioneering interspecific hybrids of Shantung Maple (Acer truncatum) and Norway Maple (Acer platanoides) are living proof of an enduring, happy marriage of 35 years and counting. Cultivar names ‘Keithsform’ and ‘Warrenred’ recognize the hybridization, evaluation and selection work of Plantsman Keith Warren, retired JFS Director of New Plant Development.
Impressed with the heat and drought tolerance and leaf quality of Shantung Maple, he collected seed in the late 1970’s in hopes of bringing the relatively unknown species into the nursery trade. According to Keith, many of the seedlings from that initial batch of several hundred seeds gathered in an arboretum setting turned out to be hybrids with Acer platanoides. Two standouts from about 50 of the most promising seedlings were trialed and observed for a decade before being introduced as Pacific Sunset® and Norwegian Sunset® Maples.
Crimson Sunset® Maple, introduced in 2010, arose as the best purple-foliaged performer among second-generation crosses of the compatible Asian and European species. Recent additions to our hybrid ‘Sunset®’ family include Urban Sunset® and Ruby Sunset® Maples. Detailed information about these and other notable cultivars of Acer truncatum can be found in The Tree Book, a definitive reference book co-authored by Keith Warren and Dr. Michael Dirr and published by Timber Press in 2019.
Happy Autumn!
Pacific Sunset® Maple
Acer truncatum x A. plat. ‘Warrenred’
Glossy dark green, heat-tolerant foliage, bright fall color and drought resistance are attributes that make this adaptable tree a top performer. Durable, tatter- and drought-resistant leaves, bright red to red-orange fall color and a smaller ultimate size are inherited from Shantung Maple. The Norway parent contributes faster growth, caliper development at an early age, larger leaves and adaptability to varied growing conditions. Upright, spreading branches grow to develop a rounded crown and a mature height of about 30’ x 25’.
Norwegian Sunset® Maple
Acer truncatum x A. plat. ‘Keithsform’
An upright oval tree with reliably bright orange-yellow fall color, Norwegian Sunset® Maple offers a particularly nice branch structure and uniform canopy. Its Acer truncatum parentage gives glossy foliage and heat resistance. While growth rate, branch structure and leaf shape of this sturdy shade tree echo that of its namesake parent, its ultimate 35’ x 25’ height and spread make it a better choice for today’s smaller scale urban landscapes.
Crimson Sunset® Maple
Acer truncatum x A. plat. ‘JFS-KW202’ PP 21838
Deep purple foliage beats the heat, looking great while casting cool shade. Foliage resembles that of Crimson King Maple but resists tatter and scorch damage while retaining its rich, dark, glossy color through the summer months. Leaves turn reddish purple in autumn.
Narrower and more upright in form than Crimson King or Royal Red Maples, our hybrid of Shantung and Norway Maple is a better fit for modern landscapes than these older, better-known and once very popular cultivars of Norway maple. Introduced in 2010, it also offers better heat and cold tolerance.
Urban Sunset® Maple
Acer truncatum x A. plat. ‘JFS-KW187’ PP 27545
This natural born street tree was selected as an outstanding performer from our three decades effort to combine the best characteristics of Asian and European maple species. Glossy dark green leaves are heat and tatter resistant. Long lasting fall color is bright red and deepens to burgundy.
This sturdy hybrid develops a symmetrical canopy with a minimum of inputs and is easy to care for in the landscape. Vigorous and upright branches that attach to a strong central leader contribute to a compact and relatively narrow canopy and an ideal street tree form. It produces few seeds and is pest and disease resistant.
Ruby Sunset® Maple
Acer truncatum x A. plat. ‘JFS-KW249’ PP 27985
Elegant leaves emerge pale green and purple-tinged in spring before turning glossy dark green. Heat and tatter resistant through the hot summer months, they turn to deep ruby red in autumn. Ease of care and adaptability are attributes of this remarkable and resilient offspring of Asian and European species. Of the hybrids introduced to date, this selection most resembles Acer truncatum in size, growth habit and appearance. Its smaller mature height and spread of 25’ x 20’ makes it a great choice for restricted planting sites that call for a more compact tree.
View more fall color in our Fall Features photo gallery.
Gardeners! Please note that our nursery is strictly wholesale. To purchase these and other trees grown by our nursery, please use our Retailer Locator to find sources of JFS trees near you.
