Crimson Sunset® Maple is a hybrid deciduous tree — a cross between Acer truncatum and Acer platanoides — that combines the heat tolerance of the Shantung Maple with the rich purple foliage of Norway Maple. In zones 4 to 8 it grows 30 to 35 feet tall, maintaining its deep crimson-to-purple leaf colour through summer heat when other purple-leafed maples tend to fade or scorch. The fall display carries this purple through warm orange-red as temperatures drop, adding a second season of interest.

Deer leave it alone. It is more adaptable to urban conditions than many maples, tolerating road salt, compaction, and heat island effects with equanimity. For landscape designers and homeowners who want the visual weight of a purple-leafed shade tree without the climate compromises of Japanese Maple cultivars, Crimson Sunset® offers a practical and handsome solution.