Unique Features: The ‘Rubrum’ maple is native to the eastern part of North America and is adapted to acidic soils, so it will need iron and sulfur soil amendments to avoid developing chlorosis in our high pH soil. The twigs, buds, flowers and seeds are all red on this group of maples, but the fall colors can vary. It does fine with average moisture but can tolerate wet sites. This tree is not one of the ‘Sunset’ hybrid maples. The Red sunset grows moderately to fast, into an upright oval shape that becomes more rounded with age. The glossy green leaves are mostly 3 lobed. Maples start moving sap early and that makes them prone to ‘frost cracking’, which damages the circulatory system of the tree.  To prevent this, wrap the tree from about Thanksgiving until Easter. This ‘early awakening’ also necessitates an increase in the winter watering at this time.