Monumentale Columnar Sugar Maple

Temple's Upright sugar maple is a narrow, slow-growing, fastigiate selection historically introduced under the name 'Monumentale'. Horticultural accounts document confusion between Temple's Upright and the distinct cultivar Newton Sentry; the former has a strong central leader and gradually ascending branches, while the latter has multiple vertical leaders and short, stubby branchlets. [Oregon State University](https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/acer-saccharum-temples-upright) summarizes the distinction from the [Arnold Arboretum's cultivar history](https://arboretum.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/1983-43-3-Arnoldia.pdf). ## Landscape Use and Seasonal Interest The upright form creates a strong vertical accent where a broad sugar-maple canopy will not fit. The [University of Connecticut Plant Database](https://plantdatabase.uconn.edu/detail.php?pid=24) also records 'Monumentale' as a name for Temple's Upright. Green summer foliage turns orange-yellow to red in autumn. [Oregon State University](https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/acer-saccharum-temples-upright) gives the cultivar a mature height of 50–60 feet; a [current nursery listing](https://mrmaple.com/collections/mega-drop/products/for-pickup-only-acer-saccharum-monumentale-columnar-sugar-maple-does-not-ship) estimates up to 30 feet tall and often 2–3 feet wide. ## Size and Siting Reported height varies substantially, so allow room for a mature tree rather than treating a nursery estimate as a fixed limit. Its very narrow form is useful where a broad crown will not fit, but branches still need space to develop. ## Soil and Water Like other sugar maples, it performs best in moist, fertile, well-drained soil and full sun to part shade. Avoid road salt, compacted soil, and prolonged drought; these stresses can damage the species. [University of Minnesota Urban Forestry](https://trees.umn.edu/sugar-maple-acer-saccharum) provides general Sugar Maple siting guidance. ## Maintenance Protect the root zone and maintain a strong central leader as the tree establishes. Prune selectively for structure and clearance, keeping the naturally narrow, upright branching character.