Brandywine Maple

'Brandywine' resulted from a 1982 cross of Acer rubrum 'October Glory' and A. rubrum 'Autumn Flame' by A.M. Townsend as part of a research project examining the inheritance of fall color and leafhopper resistance, and an effort to improve existing cultivars of red maple. Released December, 1994. 'Brandywine' has a brilliant red-purple autumn color. It produces only male flowers; thus, no fruit or nuisance seedlings. It has a significant level of tolerance to potato leafhopper, better than or comparable to many commercially available red maple cultivars. Height and Width: 25 feet tall with a 12 foot crown spread in 12 years. Habit: Medium-sized deciduous tree with moderately columnar crown. Foliage: Medium green leaves average 4.5 inches long and 4.4 inches wide. Bright, enduring fall color begins red and gradually turns brilliant purple red over a long period, often 14 days or more. Fall color peaks between 'Autumn Flame' and 'October Glory' in Maryland (Zone 7).