Freeman Maple 'Autumn Blaze': The Award-Winning Hybrid Red Maple

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• Family:	Sapindaceae (sap-in-DAY-see-ee) (Info)
  Genus:	Acer (AY-ser) (Info)
  Species:	x freemanii (free-MAN-ee-eye) (Info)
  Cultivar:	Autumn Blaze
  Additional cultivar information:	(PP4864, aka Jeffersred)
  Hybridized	by Jeffers
  Registered or introduced:	1980
  Synonym:	Acer freemanii
  Synonym:	Acer rubrum var. saccharinum

Overview

Freeman Maple 'Autumn Blaze' (Acer × freemanii 'Autumn Blaze', PP4864, 'Jeffersred') is the **most celebrated and widely planted hybrid maple** in North America. A cross between **Red Maple (A. rubrum)** and **Silver Maple (A. saccharinum)**, it combines the **brilliant, reliable red fall color of Red Maple** with the **fast growth, adaptability, and alkaline tolerance of Silver Maple**. Introduced in 1980 by Glenn Jeffers, it has won numerous "Tree of the Year" awards.

Form, Foliage & Fall Color

A **large, fast-growing deciduous tree**, 40–55 feet tall and 30–40 feet wide, with a **broadly oval to rounded crown and strong central leader**. Leaves are **deeply lobed (5 lobes), 4–6 inches wide, medium green with silvery undersides** (Silver Maple trait), turning **intense, long-lasting orange-red to scarlet in fall** (Red Maple trait)—often the last tree to color and the most vivid. The fall show is its signature.

Adaptability & Structure

**Tolerates a wide range of soils**: wet, dry, clay, alkaline (pH up to 7.5+). **Drought-tolerant once established.** **Strong branch angles** (unlike brittle Silver Maple) resist storm damage. **Seedless (male selection)**—no messy helicopters. Resistant to leaf chlorosis in alkaline soils.

Culture & Uses

USDA Zones 3–8. **Full sun; adaptable, tough, low maintenance.** Ideal as a **shade tree, street tree, park tree, and lawn specimen**. The gold standard for a fast, colorful, adaptable maple. Note: surface roots can develop; plant away from hardscapes. A modern hybrid masterpiece.