Mesa Glow® Bigtooth Maple

Mesa Glow® bigtooth maple (*Acer grandidentatum* ‘JFS-NuMex 3’) is an upright, relatively narrow selection of a western native maple, chosen for drought tolerance, faster growth, and glossy foliage. Its dark-green leaves turn orange-red to red in autumn, and the breeder lists a mature size of about 28 feet tall by 18 feet wide. The current breeder rating is Zone 4, although the original cultivar study gives a more cautious cold-hardiness assessment. ## Landscape form and seasonal interest Use Mesa Glow as a small shade tree or specimen in residential, campus, and urban plantings where a compact oval canopy is useful. J. Frank Schmidt describes the habit as upright oval and the summer leaves as dark green. The original New Mexico State University cultivar paper reports orange-yellow through deep-red autumn color and says the selection grew faster than the other bigtooth maple seedlings in its trial. Size references differ: the current JFS profile lists 28 by 18 feet, while the 2018 trial paper reports 8.5 meters tall and 2.4 meters wide. Plan with the breeder’s broader 18-foot spread unless local nursery guidance or a mature specimen supports a narrower allowance. ## Growing conditions JFS lists the cultivar for USDA Zone 4; the original release paper describes it as marginally cold hardy in Zone 5. Because these reports differ, use a sheltered site in colder Zone 4 locations and check local performance. The cultivar was selected for drought tolerance and adaptability in the Intermountain West. Water regularly while establishing, then reduce irrigation as roots develop and use soil moisture to guide supplemental watering. Full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil suit bigtooth maple; the species tolerates clay, sand, loam, acidic, and alkaline soils. Small, inconspicuous yellow-green flowers appear in early spring; glossy leaves are the main seasonal display. See the [JFS cultivar profile](https://jfschmidt.com/all-trees/introductions/mesa-glow-maple/) and the [USU bigtooth maple reference](https://extension.usu.edu/botanicalcenter/trees-of-varga-arboretum/bigtooth-maple). ## Breeder, brand, and patent Rolston St. Hilaire selected ‘JFS-NuMex 3’ at New Mexico State University; the university released it in 2013, and JFS markets it under the Mesa Glow® name through a license with NMSU’s Arrowhead Center. U.S. Plant Patent **PP27,930** was granted April 25, 2017. Read the original [HortScience cultivar paper](https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI12881-18) and the [patent record](https://patents.justia.com/patent/PP27930) for its selection and protection history. ## Maintenance Low maintenance after establishment. Keep the root zone moist while a new tree develops roots, then irrigate during extended dry periods. In the first years, prune selectively to establish a strong central leader and well-spaced branches if a street-tree form is desired. Avoid routine heavy pruning; monitor foliage for tar spot or powdery mildew, against which the cultivar showed improved resistance in the original trial, not complete immunity.