I would like to grow some maples to bring some colour to the fall. (I miss Montreal) Is there a Maple that will grow well in the west. I live just west of the city of Edmonton. Thank you.
Give Rocky Mountain Maple (Acer glabrum) a try. It is native not far west of you and has a better chance of surviving than most others. Otherwise, Amur Maple (Acer ginnala) should do well; there are some named cultivars with good colour; the only problem is that it is reported to be invasive in some areas (I don't know if that applies in Alberta)
As a rule, Acer glabrum has poor fall color, is a second rate ornamental in general. Amur maple, on the other hand, often has blazing color - for a brief period. I'd investigate the suitability of the same species that had good color in Montreal for your area, it/they may just be absent there naturally because of insufficient precipitation. Local sources, such as nurseries, parks departments and public gardens will know if obvious candidates such as sugar, red and Freeman maples (hybrid between silver and red maples) are possible. These widely popular selections are also likely to be on view in private and public property you pass by in your regular travels, if able to be grown there.
A. ginnala doesn't do well in the chinook belt, at least in my sister's experience (she lives in Cochrane, just west of Calgary). Her tree dies to near ground level every winter. A. glabrum may fare better -- I've seen it at Banff. But the Edmonton area should be okay, with fewer temperature fluctuations and maybe a longer growing season. The weather station at Stony Plain sees some of the longest frost-free periods of any rural Prairie Province site. If you can get the eastern native A. spicatum, go for it. The fall dress of this species is early and good. Feeling bold? Try A. x freemanii, A. platanoides 'Deborah,' A. saccharinum or the hardiest A. saccharum cultivars ('Norselect' and 'Unity'), all of which are available at Jeffries Nurseries. -Tony
Tony, I visited Jeffries Nurseries a couple weeks ago while out in Manitoba. They are no longer selling 'Norselect', which is a name they attached to a batch of plants grown from seed. Of course these were variable and produced mixed results, so 'Norselect' is no longer in production. Considering that this was a seed lot, they probably shouldn't have attached a cultivar name to it in the first place. 'Unity', however, is still for sale, and it is hardy stock grafted onto...? (I didn't ask). Bought one for my dad.
