Marmo Freeman’s Maple – Acer x freemanii ‘Marmo’

Height: 45-70′ Spread: 35-40′. Hardy to zone 4, a fast-growing shade tree derived from a hybrid cross of red and silver maples.

Cultural Requirements: Prefers full sun; grows in a wide range of soil conditions; pH adaptable and drought tolerant.

Ornamental characteristics: A hybrid of silver and red maple with a strong central leader and excellent branching habit. Fall color is an interesting mottled blend of red and green to burgundy, and yellow. Uses in the Landscape: Excellent in street tree plantings or as a large specimen tree, especially where a more narrow, upright habit is required. A good alternative to silver maple and red maple in heavy clay soils [2].

Marmo Freeman’s maple

Freeman’s maple grows to 21 meters (70 feet) with half that distance in spread. It has a uniform, upright-oval habit with a strong central leader. Branch structure and strength of the overall plant has proven superior to Silver Maple [2].

–Editor’s note 2023: I live in northern Illinois and my 3 huge, 100 year old silver maples are dying. The fierce winds of today are decimating our trees in this town. All the norway maples planted in the last 50 (hundreds of them) years are on their last legs. Seems every shade tree species is suffering from some unknown malady. All of our ash trees are gone. That last one I can explain – but the rest? It’s tree armageddon, and the biggest problem we have is nobody is planting any new trees. They don’t like to pick up sticks or rake leaves, so they cut down every tree in the yard. What the HECK.

References:
1. Marmo Freeman’s Maple, Morton Arboretum acc. 58-2003*2 photos by Bruce Marlin
2. The Morton Arboretum, Marmo Freeman’s Maple

Family Aceraceae – Maples
The Maples are some of our most familiar and beloved trees. Most are native to the far east: China, Japan, Korea, Manchuria. Maples produce a distinctive winged fruit called a samara, also commonly known as helicopters or whirlybirds.

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