A University of Minnesota Red Maple Bred for Our Coldest Winters

Northwood Red Maple (Acer rubrum 'Northwood') is a University of Minnesota selection bred specifically for cold-climate performance, pairing the classic red maple's vibrant orange-red fall color and graceful oval form with extra hardiness all the way to USDA zone 3. It grows at a good clip, adapts to a wide range of soils — including wetter ground — and was developed right here for Upper Midwest conditions. Whether you're planting a dependable lawn specimen in Maple Grove, a boulevard tree in St. Paul, or a hardy shade tree for an exposed lot in Lakeville, Northwood was built for Minnesota.

Northwood Red Maple Plant Details

Northwood Red Maple Uses in Minnesota Landscapes

Cold-Climate Shade Tree

Bred at the University of Minnesota for our winters, Northwood is one of the safest red-maple bets for exposed or northern Twin Cities sites where hardiness is the first concern. It establishes quickly and makes a dependable, fast-growing shade tree.

Reliable Fall-Color Specimen

Planted alone in a lawn, Northwood lights up orange-red to red each October with the grafted consistency that seedling red maples can't match — a clean focal point for any front yard.

Boulevard, Street, and Mass Plantings

Its uniform oval crown and tolerance of urban soil make it a strong boulevard and commercial-landscape tree, holding up well in mass plantings. Keep it back from the heaviest direct road-salt spray.

Wet and Low-Lying Sites

Like other red maples (also called swamp maple), Northwood thrives in soggy, poorly drained corners where other shade trees struggle — useful for rain-garden edges and low spots in Woodbury and Maple Grove.

Best Time to Plant Northwood Red Maple in Minnesota

Plant in spring (late April–May, after the ground thaws) for a full growing season of root establishment, or in early fall (late August–early October) while the soil is still warm. Get it in the ground at least six weeks before the ground freezes — typically mid-November in the Twin Cities. Avoid mid-summer planting in heat and humidity, and never plant after mid-October or before spring thaw.

How to Plant Northwood Red Maple

1. Dig wide, not deep — 2–3x the root ball width but only as deep as the ball is tall, so the root flare sits at or slightly above grade.
2. Check drainage — Northwood tolerates wet soil, but if water pools and never drains, break through any clay hardpan or mound-plant slightly.
3. Backfill with the native soil mixed with 20–30% compost; don't create a pure-compost "container" the roots won't leave.
4. Spacing — give a single specimen 20–30 feet of clearance; space a row or allee 25–35 feet apart.
5. Build a 3–4 inch watering ring to direct water to the roots, then flatten it before winter so it doesn't trap ice.
6. Mulch with 2–3 inches of shredded bark or wood chips in a wide ring, kept 2 inches off the trunk. Never use gravel mulch in Minnesota — it doesn't insulate roots.

Watering Northwood Red Maple in Minnesota

First Year Watering Schedule

Weeks 1–2: water deeply and slowly every 1–2 days. Month 1–2: every 3–4 days. Month 3–6: every 5–7 days during active growth, easing off when rainfall is adequate (the Twin Cities average about 3 inches a month from June through August). Stop watering 2–3 weeks before the ground freezes — usually late October — so the tree doesn't push tender growth heading into winter.

After Year One

An established Northwood largely cares for itself, needing supplemental water only during extended droughts (two-plus weeks with no rain and temps above 80°F). Soak deeply to 8–12 inches every 7–14 days during dry spells and let natural rainfall do the rest.

Will Northwood Red Maple survive a Minnesota winter? Yes — better than almost any red maple. It's rated to USDA zone 3 and was bred at the University of Minnesota specifically for our cold winters. Wrap the young trunk the first winter to prevent sunscald and buck rub.

How fast does it grow here? Moderately fast — roughly 1.5–2.5 feet per year in good Minnesota soil with adequate moisture.

Is it native to Minnesota? Red maple (Acer rubrum) is native to eastern and southeastern Minnesota and across eastern North America. 'Northwood' is a University of Minnesota selection chosen for extra cold-hardiness and reliable fall color.

Does it handle clay and wet soil? Yes — better than most shade trees. Its wild ancestor grows in swampy bottomlands, so it tolerates heavy clay-loam and wet ground. In very alkaline soil it can show leaf yellowing, which a slightly acidic amendment helps prevent.

Can I plant it near the road? It makes a fine boulevard tree and tolerates urban soil, but keep it back from the heaviest direct road-salt spray.

You May Also Like

• Red Sunset Red Maple — a larger, fast-growing red maple with brilliant, dependable orange-red fall color.
• Scarlet Jewell Red Maple — a red maple that turns brilliant scarlet weeks earlier than most.
• Sienna Glen Maple — a Minnesota-bred Freeman maple with excellent hardiness and a symmetrical form.
• Inferno Sugar Maple — a native sugar maple selected for fiery scarlet-red fall color.
• River Birch — a fast-growing, peeling-bark native that also thrives in wet, low spots.

How Many Northwood Red Maple Do I Need?

Northwood is a full-size shade tree, so one is usually the right answer for a typical city or suburban front yard. Give a single specimen 20–30 feet of clearance from the house, driveway, and other trees. For a boulevard row or allee on a larger property, space trees 25–35 feet apart on center — about 3–4 trees per 100 feet of frontage. For a naturalized grouping on acreage, plant in odd-numbered clusters of 3 at roughly 25-foot spacing.

Northwood Red Maple Season-by-Season in Minnesota

• Spring: One of the first trees to wake up — clusters of small red flowers tint the bare branches in early spring before the leaves emerge, an early nectar source for bees. Fresh green foliage with red leaf stems follows quickly.
• Summer: A dense, uniform oval crown of clean green foliage casting full shade — a real backyard cooler. Handles wet stretches and stormy Minnesota summers without fuss.
• Fall: The headline act — dependable orange-red to red color in October, with the grafted consistency seedling red maples can't promise.
• Winter: Smooth gray bark and a tidy branching silhouette stand up to zone 3 cold; wrap the young trunk the first couple winters against sunscald and buck rub.

At a Glance

✔ Minnesota Native   ✔ Pollinator-Friendly   ✔ Rain-Garden / Wet-Soil   ✔ Four-Season Interest

Plant It With

• Red Sunset Red Maple — a larger red maple with equally brilliant orange-red fall color for bigger lawns.
• Scarlet Jewell Red Maple — colors up weeks earlier, stretching your fall display.
• Sienna Glen Maple — another Minnesota-bred maple with a tidy pyramidal form for variety in a row.
• River Birch — a peeling-bark native that loves the same wet, low ground Northwood tolerates.

Is Northwood Red Maple Right for Your Yard?

Choose it if you want a proven, U of M-bred shade tree with knockout fall color for full sun and average-to-wet soil — it's one of the safest picks for exposed, cold, or low-lying Twin Cities lots. It's not a fit for very alkaline soils, where its leaves can yellow with chlorosis, or for tight planting strips that can't accommodate a 30–35 foot crown.