Acer rubrum 'Red Rocket' – Acer rubrum 'Red Rocket'

View prices and availability
  2. trees
  3. Acer rubrum 'Red Rocket'
Aceraceae

Acer rubrum 'Red Rocket' – Acer rubrum 'Red Rocket'

View prices and availability
The U.S. National Arboretum collected seeds in Minnesota with the aim of introducing an A. rubrum selection with improved winter hardiness. Exhaustive testing proved that ‘Red Rocket’ indeed has better winter hardiness than the more or less comparable cultivar ‘Bowhall’. The crown form is narrow pyramidal, but ‘Red Rocket’ grows somewhat slower than ‘Bowhall’, with the result that the crown remains even tighter. The dark green leaves turn intense orange-red in autumn. Highly suitable as an avenue and street tree, especially in narrower streets and housing estates. Also fine for use along driveways and such like. Its growth will stagnate on calcareous soil. In such soil, as with very dry soil, the autumn change of colour will be less noticeable. Intolerant to (sea) wind.
Availability
Clear stem (2)
Specifications
Download PDF
Height
10 - 12 m
Crown
narrow pyramidal, dark, dense crown
Bark and branches
grey trunk, dark reddish-brown twigs
Leaf
palmate, lobed, shiny dark green, ca 10 cm
Autumn colour
orange
Flowers
red, in small umbels, march/april
Fruits
none: male cultivar, fruitless cultivar
Spines/thorns
None
Toxicity
usually not toxic to people, (large) pets and livestock
Soil type
moist, not calcareous
Paving
tolerates partial paving
Winter hardiness zone
4 (-34,4 to -28,9 °C)
Wind resistance
poor to moderate
Other resistances
resistant to frost (WH 1 - 6)
Application
avenues and broad streets, parks, squares, cemeteries, large gardens
Shape
clearstem tree
Origin
U.S. National Arboretum, Washington, DC, USA, 1997
Clear stem tree acid soil loamy soil sandy soil tolerates partial paving resistant to frost (WH 1 - 6) narrow conical 2nd size, between 6 and 12 metres dense crown green orange/red average growing Attractive autumn colour non-toxic (usually) Fruitless cultivar
Possibly of interest
Betula utilis var. jacquemontii – White-barked Himalayan birch
Betula utilis var. jacquemontii
White-barked Himalayan birch
More information
Euonymus europaeus 'Red Cascade' – Euonymus europaeus 'Red Cascade'
Euonymus europaeus 'Red Cascade'
More information
Fagus sylvatica 'Atropunicea' – Purple beech
Fagus sylvatica 'Atropunicea'
Purple beech
More information
Gleditsia triacanthos 'Skyline' – Gleditsia triacanthos 'Skyline'
Gleditsia triacanthos 'Skyline'
More information
Frequently asked questions
Acer rubrum 'Red Rocket'

Acer rubrum 'Red Rocket' can eventually reach a height of 10 - 12 m, depending on the site and climate conditions.

Acer rubrum 'Red Rocket' is average growing and can eventually reach a height of 10 - 12 m, depending on the site and climate conditions.

The leaves of Acer rubrum 'Red Rocket' turn orange in autumn.

The right time to plant Acer rubrum 'Red Rocket' is during the dormancy period. In Western Europe, Acer rubrum 'Red Rocket' with root balls can generally be planted from mid-November to late April, although this depends strongly on the climatic conditions and the species of tree.

Acer rubrum 'Red Rocket' blooms in march.
General