The Red Maple That Turns Scarlet First Each Minnesota Fall

Scarlet Jewell Red Maple (Acer rubrum 'Bailcraig') is a Bailey Nurseries introduction selected for early, brilliant scarlet fall color and a tidy, rounded-oval crown. It colors up weeks ahead of most other red maples, stretching out the autumn show, and its slightly more compact size suits smaller Twin Cities lots. Hardy through USDA zone 4 and tolerant of a wide range of soils — including wetter ground where many trees sulk — it's an easy, dependable shade tree. Whether you're planting a front-yard specimen in St. Paul, a boulevard tree in Minneapolis, or a fast fall-color accent in Woodbury, Scarlet Jewell delivers early and reliably.

Scarlet Jewell Red Maple Plant Details

Scarlet Jewell Red Maple Uses in Minnesota Landscapes

Early Fall-Color Specimen

Scarlet Jewell's claim to fame is timing — it ignites brilliant scarlet weeks before neighboring maples, extending the fall display on your property. Planted alone in a front lawn, it's the first tree on the block to turn and one of the most striking.

Shade Tree for Smaller Lots

At a mature 40–50 feet tall and a tidier 25–35 feet wide, Scarlet Jewell fits Twin Cities yards that can't accommodate a full-size maple. It's a great fast-establishing replacement for ash trees lost to emerald ash borer on tighter properties in Bloomington and Maplewood.

Boulevard and Street Tree

Its rounded, uniform crown and tolerance of urban soil make it a clean boulevard tree, though it's best kept back from the heaviest direct road-salt spray.

Wet and Low-Lying Sites

Like other red maples (also called swamp maple), Scarlet Jewell thrives in the soggy, poorly drained corners of a property where other shade trees struggle — handy for rain-garden edges and low spots.

Best Time to Plant Scarlet Jewell 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 Scarlet Jewell 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 — Scarlet Jewell 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 Scarlet Jewell 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 Scarlet Jewell 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 Scarlet Jewell Red Maple survive a Minnesota winter? Yes. It's rated to USDA zone 4 and is reliably hardy in Twin Cities 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, a bit quicker than a sugar maple.

Is it native to Minnesota? Red maple (Acer rubrum) is native to eastern and southeastern Minnesota and throughout eastern North America. 'Bailcraig' is a Bailey Nurseries selection bred for early, reliable scarlet fall color and a tidy form.

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 handles 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.
• Northwood Red Maple — a Minnesota-bred red maple selected for extreme cold-hardiness.
• Inferno Sugar Maple — a native sugar maple selected for fiery scarlet-red fall color.
• State Street Miyabe Maple — a tough, salt- and clay-tolerant maple for boulevards and hard sites.
• River Birch — a fast-growing, peeling-bark native that also thrives in wet, low spots.

How Many Scarlet Jewell Red Maples Do I Need?

One Scarlet Jewell anchors a typical yard — give a single specimen 20–30 feet of clearance from buildings and other large trees. For a driveway row or property-line allee, space trees 25–35 feet on center (a 100-foot run takes 4 trees at 30-foot spacing). Pairing it with a later-turning maple like Red Sunset stretches the scarlet season across a full month.

Scarlet Jewell Red Maple Season-by-Season in Minnesota

• Spring: Small red flowers stud the bare branches in early April — valuable first forage for emerging bees — followed by clean green leaves.
• Summer: A tidy rounded-oval canopy adds up to 2.5 feet a year and casts dependable shade without outgrowing a smaller lot.
• Fall: The headline — brilliant scarlet weeks before other red maples turn, making it the first show on the block.
• Winter: Smooth silver-gray bark and a symmetrical crown stand cleanly against the snow; wrap young trunks against sunscald and buck rub.

At a Glance

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

Plant It With

• Red Sunset Red Maple — turns orange-red later than Scarlet Jewell, extending the fall display across weeks.
• Northwood Red Maple — the Minnesota-bred sibling for the coldest, most exposed corners.
• Inferno Sugar Maple — fiery native sugar maple for the drier, sweeter ground.
• River Birch — peeling cinnamon bark and the same love of moist low spots.

Is Scarlet Jewell Red Maple Right for Your Yard?

Scarlet Jewell thrives in full sun and moist, slightly acidic soil, handles clay and wet low spots well, and its 25–35 foot spread fits lots too tight for a full-size maple. If early, brilliant fall color is the goal, this is the tree. Keep it clear of overhead wires and the heaviest road-salt spray, and wrap the young trunk the first winters. It's not a fit if your soil is strongly alkaline — expect chlorotic yellowing — or you need a tree under 30 feet at maturity.