Crimson Sunset® Maple

Crimson Sunset® maple (Acer truncatum x A. platanoides ‘JFS-KW202’) is a deciduous hybrid with deep purple leaves that hold their color through summer heat. Its upright oval crown makes it an ornamental shade or specimen tree, typically about 30–35 feet tall and 20–25 feet wide. ## Landscape Use Selected by Keith S. Warren and introduced by J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co., this cultivar combines purple foliage with a compact, upright form. It works as a specimen or shade tree where there is room for a broad canopy. The [breeder's cultivar page](https://jfschmidt.com/all-trees/introductions/crimson-sunset-maple/) gives its cultivar name as ‘JFS-KW202’, lists a 35-foot height and 25-foot spread, and identifies heat tolerance as a defining trait. Its plant patent, [PP21838](https://patents.justia.com/patent/PP21838), was granted on April 5, 2011. ## Seasonal Interest New leaves emerge purple and mature to deep purple through summer, with fall color shifting to maroon, reddish bronze, and red-purple. Small flower clusters open just before the leaves; the patent records spring bloom in Oregon, while [North Carolina State Extension](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/acer-crimson-sunset-jfs-kw202/common-name/crimson-sunset-maple/) describes the flowers as insignificant. Paired samaras follow. ## Siting and Soil Plant in full sun to partial shade in moist, well-drained soil. North Carolina State Extension lists clay and loam, acid to neutral soil, and mature dimensions of 30–35 feet tall by 20–25 feet wide; the [Utah State University Varga Arboretum](https://extension.usu.edu/botanicalcenter/trees-of-varga-arboretum/truncatum-maple) also reports 35 by 25 feet and USDA Zone 4. The breeder lists Zone 4, and NC State gives Zones 4a–8b. Allow space for the mature crown and avoid planting beneath overhead wires. ## Maintenance The [Morton Arboretum's Shantung maple guidance](https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants/shantung-maple/) advises avoiding early-spring pruning because maples can lose sap from fresh cuts. Apply that seasonal caution when pruning this hybrid; its upright oval crown is naturally compact. Keep the root zone moist and well drained; Utah State lists moderate water use for this cultivar.