Catalog Description
Maple-like leaves turn brilliant orange-red or bright red in autumn. Provides reliable fall color, even in warm winter areas. Narrow, pyramidal form adapts well to urban uses. Deciduous. Full sun. Moderate grower to 40 feet or more in height, 15 to 20 feet wide. Grafted. |
Design Ideas
Plant a grove or single specimen of Palo Alto in your front or backyard for a guaranteed autumn show no matter how warm your climate. Almost columnar in form, this tree creates an ideal screen in narrow side yards. Use to separate multistory homes on narrow lots. Pretty as a pair flanking a driveway or garden gateway. Also make the perfect carefree accent for less interesting, drought-resistant trees. May help reduce wind problems during the growing season if planted in a tightly spaced windrow.
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Companion Plants
Plant this tree with evergreens from the drought-resistant or Mediterranean groups such as Marina Strawberry Tree (Arbutus x `Marina`) or Sweet Bay (Laurus nobilis).
Combine with reliable flowering specimens for a cottage garden using Royal Star Magnolia (Magnolia stellata `Royal Star`) or Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis).
It`s a natural with the long flower clusters of Texas Purple Japanese Wisteria (Wisteria floribunda `Texas Purple`), or the Purple-leaf Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica `Purpurea`).
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Average Landscape Size
Moderate grower to 40 ft. or more in height, 15 to 20 ft. wide. |
Key Plant Benefits
Maple-like leaves turn brilliant orange-red or bright red in autumn. Provides reliable fall color, even in warm winter areas. Narrow, pyramidal form adapts well to urban conditions. Deciduous. |
Care Instructions
Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system. Watering can be reduced after establishment. Feed with a general purpose fertilizer before new growth begins in spring. |
Growth Conditions
| Growth Rate |
 Moderate Growing |
| Growth Habit |
| Pyramidal |
| Heat Zones |
High:
| 9 (>120 to 150 days) |
| Low: | 1 (< 1 days) |
| Cold Hardiness |
| High: | 9 (20 to 30 F) (see map) |
| Low: | 6 (-10 to 0 F) |
| Water Requirements |
| Water regularly, when top 3 in. of soil is dry. |
| Sun Exposure |
| Full sun |
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Flowering
Flower or Bloom description:
Inconspicuous
| Flower Color |
| Yellow |
| Flowering Time/Season |
| Inconspicuous flowers in spring. |
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Propagation
| Propagation Method |
1
| Grafted |
| Best time to Prune |
| Winter |
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Attributes
Attracts Wildlife
Dramatic Foliage Color
Fall Color
Fruit-Bearing
Native Plant
Spring Flowering
Tolerates Acidic Soil
Tolerates Wet Soils
Windbreak
Year-round Interest |
Foliage
Maple-like, glossy
| Foliage Shape | Ovate |
| Normal foliage color | Green |
| Underside foliage | Green |
| Juvenile foliage | Green |
| Mature foliage | Green |
| New foliage | Green |
| Spring foliage | Green |
| Summer foliage | Green |
| Fall foliage | Orange |
| Winter foliage | No Value |
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Plant Lore
This colorful tree is native to much of the southern United States as well as many eastern states. It is classified from the Latin liquidus and the Arabic ambar to describe the resin, once of great commercial value harvested from the European species. This species was introduced from America to Europe sometime in the 17th century, and since then over twenty varieties have been developed. |
Plant History
This colorful tree is native to much of the southern United States as well as many eastern states. It is classified from the Latin liquidus and the Arabic ambar to describe the resin, once of great commercial value harvested from the European species. This species was introduced from America to Europe sometime in the 17th century, and since then over twenty varieties have been developed. |
New Plant
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