Having such a broad range of characteristics the Maple family offers many options for the home landscape.
Large trees such as Sugar, Silver, and Red Maples take up significant space, so place them remembering how large they will eventually get. Place one on the south or southwest corner of the house at least 30 to 40 feet away from the house, and you will eventually have a wonderful shade tree cooling your home in the summer, and after the leaves drop, allowing the sun through to warm your house in the winter. Use these tall maples for shade, as screens, or along property lines. Plant them singly as specimens in spacious lawns or in groups to showcase their striking autumn foliage. Sugar maples offer a picturesque landmark as they near maturity. They have an elegant soft shade, lovely form, and beautiful bark. Use fast-growing Silver Maples to block out an unfavorable view until slower growing shrubs and trees reach the correct height.
Large, leafy Maples of all kinds support lots of wildlife. Their sturdy branches provide shelter for nesting song birds and squirrels. Their winged seeds are favorites of a variety of creatures, including squirrels, ground birds, songbirds and deer.
Then the Hedge Maple offers even more options either as a hedge, a shrub, or as a small single stemmed tree.
Benefits for Songbirds
Maples are favorite nesting trees for robins. orioles and wrens favor the insects that inhabit a maple tree.
