Acer platanoides 'Crimson King'
Common name: 
Crimson King Norway Maple
Pronunciation: 
A-ser plat-an-OY-dez
Family: 
Aceraceae
Genus: 
Acer
Type: 
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon: 
No
  • Purple-red leaf (maroon) for most of the growing season, reddish-orange in fall.  Flowers maroon-yellow and fruit also purplish.
  • Sun.  Probably the most vigorous of red-leafed forms.  Extremely similar cultivars are ‘Ruby Red’ and ‘Goldsworth Purple’ (Jacobson, 1996, p. 41).
  • Hardy to USDA Zone 4        Originated in Belgium in 1937 from a seedling of ‘Schwedleri’, the leaves of which emerge reddish-purple, but then turn green. ‘Deborah’ is also a seedling of ‘Schwedleri’, and its leaves also emerge reddish, but in contrast to ‘Crimson King’, turn to a bronzy green during the summer. Leaf color comparison of ‘Crimson King’, ‘Deborah’, and species (green) type.
  • Oregon State Univ. campus: east side of McNary parking lot (11th St. & Jefferson).
Click image to enlarge
  • flower cluster, spring

    flower cluster, spring

  • leaves, after flowering

    leaves, after flowering

  • plant habit, spring comparison

    plant habit, spring comparison

  • plant habit, summer

    plant habit, summer

  • leaf, summer

    leaf, summer

  • fruit, summer

    fruit, summer

  • leaves, fall

    leaves, fall