Overview
A large but upright, deciduous tree, usually planted for its stunning red autumnal foliage.
 
Description  
The Red maple, native to east and central North America, is aptly named given the many red parts of the tree including new shoot growth, male and female flowers, and most famously, its red autumnal foliage. The cultivar Scanlon produces a more compact and upright form of the tree. The leaves are tri-lobed and approximately 8cm in length. They emerge a matt green on top with a pale, grey-green underside. In the autumn the leaves turn a bright red to purple in a stunning display. Male and female flowers develop as red corymbs.
Red maple is considered unisexual or polygamodioecious. Some specimens bear both male and female flowers, or either and it is also hamophradic. The flowers give way to the trademark samara or maple key fruit.
The species can reach 40m in its natural environment however Scanlon is usually somewhat smaller and in the UK will achieve an average height of 20m at maturity, with an 8-10m spread, over 20-50 years.
 
Planting Position 
The form of the canopy of Scanlon does lend itself to planting locations with some constraints however this is still a large tree with a notable spread and as such is not considered suitable for small or medium sized gardens. It prefers a sheltered location but can cope with any aspect. All soil types are favoured however an alkaline soil pH should be avoided. 
 
Attributes 
Although the main attributes of this impressive tree are clearly aesthetic with its all year round interest via red twigs, early flowers and stunning autumnal colours it does have benefits for wildlife, providing food and habitat for a variety of birds and insects.