Does anyone have an 'Autumnfest' Sugar Maple?

6 years ago

I'm in Minneapolis, MN (zone 4). I'd like to plant a sugar maple in our backyard, as we lost an elm a few years back and I miss the shade it provided. I had been trying to make up my mind between a 'Fall Fiesta' or 'Green Mountain', since those are the only two varieties I've found in the local nurseries. Then last week I stopped into a nursery outside the Cities and they had a variety I'd never seen before called 'Autumnfest'. I researched it and it sounds like a nice tree: 50' x 30', zone 4 and an upright, oval shape. I also liked the fact that it colors up two weeks earlier than most maples. For the color, it says it's a beautiful orange to orange-red. I'm a little skeptical and it seems most maples never live up to the touted colors (i.e. Northwoods and Sierra Glen maples). Below is a photo that I found online. I'm wondering if anyone has this tree and if its fall colors are really as vivid and pretty as the photo from J. Frank Schmidt's website shows.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

Embothrium
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
If a new one from Schmidt there won't be much, if any general experience with it yet. Their claims for it will probably still be based entirely on Willamette Valley conditions.

Sugar maple tree named `JFS-KW8`

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

During the fall of 2000, I searched for improved varieties of sugar maple, Acer saccharum. I examined several thousand seedling trees of Acer saccharum growing in rows at a nursery in Boring, Oreg. I found a number of seedling trees that differed from typical seedlings. One tree, which was three years old at the time, particularly caught my attention. My attention was drawn to this tree because it was taller and stronger growing than any other seedling in the field and also displayed unusually bright red fall color. I tagged it and transplanted it during the winter into a testing block for further evaluation. I evaluated this tree every year thereafter and determined that it was superior to typical seedlings in several features.

In order to test this tree under nursery growing conditions, my new tree was test propagated by T-budding onto Acer saccharum rootstock in small plots of 10 trees in 2002, 2003, 2005, and 2006. This asexual propagation in Boring, Oreg. by budding on Acer saccharum rootstock has shown that the characteristics of my new tree are firmly fixed in successive generations. I evaluated each plot of these test trees for three years in the nursery and then discarded all but 15 which I re-planted in 2008 and 2009. Testing, evaluation, and comparison with seedlings of the species as well as with existing commercial varieties of Acer saccharum has convinced me that my new tree has superior growth and appearance characteristics for landscape use....

Compared to `Bailsta`, my new tree is taller, with one year trees of `JFS-KW8` averaging 231 cm vs. 218 cm for `Bailsta`. In addition, the sheen of the upper leaf surface of `JFS-KW8`is slightly satiny while that of `Bailsta` is slightly glossy to glossy. Fall leaf color of `Bailsta` typically has a range of colors of yellow, orange and red.

Compared to `Green Mountain`, the slightly satiny upper leaf surface of `JFS-KW8` is easily distinguished from the dull leathery leaf surface of `Green Mountain`. In addition, 2 year old `Green Mountain` trees have wide branch crotch angles (50.degree.-80.degree.) while `JFS-KW8` has moderate branch crotch angles that are typically 40.degree.-50.degree.. Branch orientation of 2 year trees of `Green Mountain` is wider (45.degree.-60.degree. measured 30 cm from trunk) while that of `JFS-KW8` in narrower and more upsweeping (typically 30.degree.-40.degree. measured 30 cm from trunk). Comparison to the species: My new variety is straighter, taller, more upright, and moderately narrower in form than the species. The 13 year old original tree is best described as narrowly oval to oval in shape, while typical trees of the species are broadly oval to round at the same age. Measurement of propagated one and two year old trees of my new variety and seedlings of the species confirm this form difference.

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=PP22034.PN.&OS=PN/PP22034&RS=PN/PP22034
toronado_3800
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Just want to ooint out there is something is wrong with the saturation in their picture. Almost as if their camera could not handle the red like some cell phones or they wanted to turn it more red. Was it Ty ty nursery that used to mail out catalogs with some "interesting" images back in the day so I love pointing this out.

Autumn fest sounds slightly faster growing, a bit thinner and more of a solid red fall color than the others? Maybe a bit different leaf texture also.
Related Discussions
Anyone have a sugar maple tree?
Q
Comments (32)
I live in suburban eastern Iowa. My neighbor had a 'Fall Fiesta' sugar maple planted in her front yard earlier this year. There used to be a huge (50 ft tall x 60 ft wide), ugly locust tree in that area, but it rotted and died over the last few years. The new maple should be a beautiful tree. It just started turning orange. She already has a (45 ft x 25 ft) maple (red maple?) in the backyard, which was planted in the 1990s, that turns darkish red. The only thing I am concerned about is the size of the new tree. I didn't really want her to plant such an enormous tree in a small lot like ours. She's in her 60s so she won't be around to see it get 70 ft tall, but I might (40s). At least the new tree is north of my yard and not south. There is one thing I'm curious about. This new sugar maple was planted only about 5 ft from where the old locust tree grew. The locust tree had a huge stump and thick near-surface roots going out in all directions. The stump was ground out, but there are still spots of thick wood only a few feet from the new maple tree. I wonder how that will affect the new tree's growth.
...See More
Why does it look like this sugar maple is dying?
Q
Comments (77)
Just for the sake of chronicling this experience, I ended up spraying right after my last reply. It took about 3 mins and exactly 1 gallon to do all the trees and some shrubs. The wind was so calm and I knew it was my only chance. It rains here about once or twice a month yet it will happen when i need it to stay dry. It looks like some light sprinkles now.
...See More
Norway Maple vs. Sugar Maple
Q
Comments (35)
To repeat what has been said a number of times before, there are Red Maples (Acer rubrum) in varying cultivars and then there are other cultivars of maples whose leaves turn red in the fall. There are also maples, mostly Japanese maples but other species as well, whose leaves come in red or reddish, some of whose leaves stay red and some turn green. The TRUE Red Maple is the A. rubrum, so called, as far as I know, because the flowers, which are very early before the leaves, are very red, as are the early stages of the samaras. Any other tree, if of another variety of maple (Norway, silver, etc.) MAY have the word red somewhere in its name, or have red leaves all summer or in the fall, but it will NOT BE a Red Maple, although it may be a red-colored maple, for example, the above mentioned Crimson King Norway Maple. Sorry for the lecture, but it's a pet peeve, and so you got the rant....
...See More
Does anyone have any japanese maple seeds they want to give away?
Q
Comments (5)
Hi,I purchased some off E.Bay here in the UK.Unsure where you are but it may well be worth a look.E.Bay USA..Alternately perhaps consider buying some from a reputable seller.I wouldn't think they would be Expensive to buy.... Probably the most Satisfying option would be to get out there yourself and Gather some Seeds yourself from beneath & around any Maple Trees in your Vicinity.They should be ready to gather soon..September ~ October.... Regards Stephen,CheshireUK
...See More
User
6 years ago
The right filters on a camera can make things look however you want them to.
mntreegrower
6 years ago
Sugars are tricky. Their color can be very unreliable. I'd buy a tree in the fall when you can see the color for yourself. The problem with most sugar maple cultivars is that they begin to turn color too late here in the north. Thus, they often don't reach their brilliant peak before bitter cold weather creeps in.

That said, I planted a Green Mountain in my parents' backyard about 15 years ago and it turns an incredible red-orange nearly every year. I picked it out in the fall. But from my experience (growing nursery trees for over 20 years), this seems to be the exception instead of the norm. Fall Fiestas have been more fall color reliable for me, but again, no guarantee.

Next year, I am planting Autumn Fest and Northern Flare for the first time. I'll let you know in 3 or 4 years what I think of them. :)
Renee C
6 months ago
last modified: 6 months ago
We live in Montana zone 4. When we moved into our house during the winter 12 years ago there was three tall maples in the front yard. Was I ever shocked the following fall to see the beauties they become. I‘ve been told they are Sugar Maples and they put on a stunning show every fall. One is slimmer than the other two so I’m guessing that one is a different variety. Here is a picture taken this fall as they begin their change.

Does anyone have an 'Autumnfest' Sugar Maple?

Comments (5)

Embothrium

toronado_3800

Related Discussions

User

mntreegrower

Renee C

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US