Acer platanoides ‘Crimson Sentry’ – Crimson Sentry Maple

Botanical Name: Acer platanoides ‘Crimson Sentry’

Alternate Name: Crimson Sentry Norway Maple

The Crimson Sentry Maple is a columnar-shaped tree with an upright tidy growth habit that grows up to 25 feet high and 15 feet wide. This Norway Maple has spectacularly deep purple or maroon leaves. It is a great specimen for use in smaller gardens due to its narrow stature, where Acer platanoides ‘Crimson King’ Maple is too large. ‘Crimson Sentry’ was cultivated from ‘Crimson King’ in the 1970’s.

The tiny light yellow blooms emerge before the foliage in early spring, in upright sprays along the branches. The new leaves then unfurl bright red in color, and they mature and deepen to a striking rich, deep maroon-purple. This color holds through the summer. Then Crimson Sentry Maple puts on a fall display as its leaves change to bright crimson.

It is a great choice for urban settings, both because of its narrow structure and drought and pollution tolerance. Its narrow spread makes it ideal to line pathways or roadways. It is also extremely wind resistant, making it a tough and hardy tree for city settings. This trait, as well as its tolerance for salt spray, also make it a great choice for coastal landscapes.

Crimson Sentry Maple is a low maintenance tree and should only be pruned when necessary to remove dead branches or neaten up its columnar form.