Acer rubrum Armstrong Gold - Red Maple

Acer rubrum 'Armstrong Gold' is a variety of Red Maple recognisable by its well-defined silhouette, due to its narrow and fastigiate habit. In spring, it produces small clusters of red flowers, without much ornamental interest, but signaling the emergence of the foliage. The deciduous leaves, with well-marked lobes, have a particularly aesthetic shape. Their glossy green colour turns into bright golden yellow, tinged with orange in autumn, transforming the tree into a truly attractive torch flame in this season when days and brightness decrease. It grows quickly in full sun or partial shade in moist, neutral to acidic soil. Its distinctive form allows for multiple uses, whether as a standalone specimen or in a group of three on a lawn, in a row in a large space or as a backdrop in a small garden.

Formerly classified in the Aceraceae family, the Maple tree is now a member of the Sapindaceae family, just like the charming Koelreuteria, the delicious Litchi, or Dodonea with foliage used by florists. With about 150 species distributed throughout the northern hemisphere, the Acer genus mainly consists of trees, as well as some shrubs, mostly deciduous (except for Acer sempervirens from Crete and the Acer paxii from southern China). The Red Maple is a large tree native to the eastern part of North America, where it can reach over 30 metres in height in deep soils. Appreciated for its autumn colours in Europe, where it usually reaches a height of around twenty metres, it is cultivated in America for furniture making (cabinetmaking). Its second local name "swamp maple" indicates that it tolerates temporary floods and shows a preference for moist soils.
Armstrong Gold was introduced to the market by J. Frank Schmidt and Son Nurseries, located in Oregon (east coast of the United States), on 1200 hectares! This variety was selected from hundreds of seedlings of the Armstrong variety, of which it is an improvement in terms of foliage brightness and even narrower habit (the original variety is named after Newton Armstrong who discovered it in 1947 in Scanlon, Ohio).
Acer rubrum 'Armstrong Gold' is a fast-growing tree, but with moderate development, reaching 12 metres in height and only 3.50 to 4 metres in width. It has a very distinctive habit, with narrow vegetation in the shape of a flame with a pointed tip. The leaves, also easy to identify, are divided into 3 or 5 lobes, each with a well-defined crenate margin, which can even form small lobes on the main lobe. The slightly glossy, green leaves are sculptural. In autumn, the foliage takes on beautiful shades, turning into bright golden yellow with orange nuances, creating a stunning scene in the garden.
The dark red flowers are produced in spring (March-April) before the leaves, in relatively insignificant small clusters, from an ornamental point of view. They then develop into reddish fruits, which are pairs of samaras (the "helicopters" of our childhood, whose two wings produce the characteristic circular movement that when dispersed by the wind).

Well-suited for small gardens, this Armstrong Gold Red Maple is a choice specimen for enthusiasts of distinctive forms. Planting it as a standalone specimen will highlight its typical habit, but in smaller spaces, you can mix it with other species within a bed. Create contrasts in form by planting ball-shaped shrubs alongside it, such as a crenate Holly topiary (Ilex crenata Convexa), with non-prickly, evergreen, miniature, green foliage. Nyssa sylvatica Autumn Cascade, a Black Tupelo with trailing branches, will also be a good companion, not exceeding 5 metres in height, creating an evolving autumnal scene with its end-of-season foliage displaying yellow, orange, red, and purple hues! You can further enhance the colours by planting an Acer palmatum Dissectum Tamukeyama, a Japanese Maple with a spreading habit, the perfect opposite of your Red Maple, whose dissected palmate foliage emerges purple-red in spring before turning green in summer, and finally blazing with scarlet red in autumn.