Home > Catalogue > Acer platanoides 'ROYAL RED'
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Illustrative photo.
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Acer platanoides 'ROYAL RED' Norway maple

size/type
tall tree
usual height
10-15m
usual width
6-12m
leaves
deciduous broadleaf
colour of leaves
maroon
flowers
less showy but noticeable
location
full sun
soil type
any (acidic to alkaline)
soil moisture requirements
evenly moist (dislikes drought)
USDA zone (lowest)
3   (down to -40°C)
winter protection
 
for zone 5+6
Kód zimní ochrany zóna 5+6
for zone 7
Kód zimní ochrany zóna 7
mycorrhizal product
Symbivit Tric (arbuscular)Symbivit Tric (arbuscular)
Symbivit (arbuscular)Symbivit (arbuscular)
categorized

Acer

The genus Acer belongs among the oldest documented deciduous trees of the Northern Hemisphere. Fossil finds of leaves and fruits prove that maples were already growing in the Tertiary period: from Czech sites in Bílina, for example, we know fossilized fruits and leaves of Acer tricuspidatum from the late Miocene, more than 15 million years old. Similar imprints have been found in North America and Asia, showing that the genus already had a wide distribution at that time. The genus was scientifically described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753, but its species classification has since been revised many times, as Asia, especially China, Japan, and the Himalayas, turned out to be its true center of diversity. Today, maples adapt to an astonishing range of conditions, from mountain valleys in the subtropics to the cold regions of the north.
 
The Norway maple was scientifically described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753, but it has been part of the European landscape since the glaciers retreated. We know this from finds of its pollen and seeds, which show that it spread from refuges in the Balkans and Carpathians and gradually recolonized Central and Northern Europe. In the 19th century it became a popular tree for city avenues and parks, valued for its tolerance of polluted air and road salt, earning a reputation as a reliable “urban tree.” In European culture it also appears in heraldry, where its winged fruits symbolize life and renewal.

Description of the plant

Royal Red is a Norway maple variety you cannot mistake – its leaves emerge in a rich wine-red, deepen to dark maroon in summer, and blaze amber to fiery orange in autumn. In early spring, before the canopy fully leafs out, clusters of small yellow flowers appear, creating a striking contrast against the dark foliage. The crown is broadly conical to oval, and in maturity the tree reaches 10–15 meters in height and 6-12 meters in width, giving it a majestic presence and dense shade. This cultivar originated in the United States in 1963 as a selection from the popular ‘Crimson King’. American nurserymen introduced it to the trade because its foliage holds colour better and the tree shows higher – often complete – resistance to powdery mildew. From there it spread quickly to Europe, and since the 1970s it has been a favourite in urban plantings and prestigious gardens, where it still serves as a reliable and striking focal point.
 
In gardens, ‘Royal Red’ is best used as a specimen tree. Its deep purple foliage shows to greatest effect against lighter greenery. It pairs beautifully with ashes, lindens, or birches with finer or differently shaped leaves, which visually soften its strong colour. In modern plantings it is often combined with tall ornamental grasses or light-leaved shrubs, where it creates a dramatic contrast. Thanks to its size it is well suited to larger gardens, parks, and city avenues, where it provides deep shade and lends a representative character to the landscape. In smaller gardens it can be managed by pollarding – cutting all branches back to the trunk at the end of winter so that new shoots emerge in spring, taking up less space while still offering the tree’s typical colour and attractive foliage.
 
Last update 12-02-2010; 10-10-2025

Growing conditions and care

Norway maple thrives best in full sun but will tolerate light shade. It is not demanding about soil and can cope even in poor or heavy clay ground – its strong roots always find their way, yet they are not aggressive and do not damage foundations or pavements. The only unsuitable sites are those with heavy road salt, so it should not be planted along busy highways. Ideally it prefers moderately moist, fertile, well-drained soil, but it will also tolerate slightly alkaline conditions and short-term waterlogging. Standard trees with a single trunk must be staked firmly with a strong support for the first three years until they establish. The root zone should remain free of competition – no grass directly above the roots; mulch is ideal, as it retains moisture and protects the soil from overheating and drying out. Fertilization is usually unnecessary, though the tree benefits from mycorrhizal fungi at planting. It is medium- to long-lived, resistant to most pests and diseases, and fully hardy down to about -40°C (USDA zone 3), making it perfectly reliable even in the harsher regions of Europe. 

SIZES and PRICES
view item form pot size quality price (incl. VAT) availability sending options quantity
standard
30L
height of stem 170-180 cm, girth 8-10 cm
STANDARD
5 520 Kč
4 416 Kč
IN STOCK 2 pcs
standard
25L
height of stem 160-180 cm, girth 8-10 cm
STANDARD
6 320 Kč
5 056 Kč
IN STOCK 2 pcs
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QUICK PRICE OVERVIEW
standard
height of stem 170-180 cm, girth 8-10 cm
5 520 Kč
4 416 Kč
standard
height of stem 160-180 cm, girth 8-10 cm
6 320 Kč
5 056 Kč
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Acer platanoides 'CRIMSON KING'
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GLOSSARY
  • STANDARD QUALITY - Plants of this group are 1st class quality with number of branches and overall density adequate to their size and age, considering they were container grown.
  • DE LUXE QUALITY - This label guarantees a luxurious quality of manually selected plants that, compared to their height and age, are exceptionally dense and beautiful.
  • EXTRA - These plants are usually mature and bigger specimens with exceptional overall appearance.
  • STANDARD (as described in the plant form) means a tree with a trunk of 190-210 cm and a crown at the top, unless specified differently. The commercial size for trees is their girth measured in the height of 1m from ground.
  • HOBBY - These plants are of the same quality as our standard-quality plants but younger and therefore cheaper.
  • SHRUB - a woody plant with branches growing bushy from the ground level.
  • HALF-STANDARD or MINI-STANDARD - a small tree with shorter trunk, its size is usually specified.
  • FEATHERED - These are trees with branches growing already from the base of the trunk and up along the stem.
  • GRASSES and PERENNIALS - Sizes given usually read the diameter of the pot or the clump, as specified.
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