Best Maple Outdoor Trees of 2025

Toby Butcher Avatar
Toby Butcher
Last Updated: 2 Feb 2025

* We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.

Maple outdoor trees are a stunning addition to any garden or outdoor space. These trees are known for their vibrant foliage, which ranges from bright green to deep reds and oranges in the autumn months. They can grow to be quite tall and provide ample shade, making them perfect for outdoor gatherings or simply relaxing in the sun. Maple trees are also beneficial for the environment, as they absorb carbon dioxide and stabilise soil. Overall, if you're looking to add some natural beauty to your outdoor space, maple outdoor trees are a great option to consider.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

3 x Acer Trees - Japanese Maple Shrubs Cover #TOP 1
3 x Acer Trees - Japanese Maple Shrubs
ftb score rating icon 9.8
YouGarden Japanese Maple Acer Shirasawanum 'Jordan' Cover #TOP 2
YouGarden Japanese Maple Acer Shirasawanum 'Jordan'
ftb score rating icon 9.7
You Garden Japanese Maple Acer palmatum 'Orange Dream' Cover #TOP 3
You Garden Japanese Maple Acer palmatum 'Orange Dream'
ftb score rating icon 9.5

Top 10 Maple Outdoor Trees

3 x Acer Trees - Japanese Maple Shrubs

PLANTS-ACERMIX-9CM-3
Orange
3 x Acer Trees - Japanese Maple Shrubs Cover
3 x Acer Trees | Japanese Maple Tree | Potted Outdoor Hardy Garden Ready Shrubs (20-30cm Incl. Pot)

The Acer Trees by GardenersDream offer an impressive selection of Japanese Maple varieties. These trees provide stunning colour from spring to autumn, enhancing the beauty of your garden throughout the seasons. You can easily spruce up your outdoor space by placing these delightful trees in strategic locations to create a captivating display. They thrive in sun or partial shade, requiring minimal care while needing well-drained, moist soil. This makes them a convenient choice for both novice and experienced gardeners.

What We Like
Impressive variety of trees
Vibrant colours year-round
Easy to care for
Perfect for garden enhancement

YouGarden Japanese Maple Acer Shirasawanum 'Jordan'

Jordan
YouGarden Japanese Maple Acer Shirasawanum 'Jordan' Cover
YouGarden - Japanese Maple Tree, Acer Shirasawanum 'Jordan' in a 3L Pot 40-50cm Tall - Established Garden Plants Ready to Plant Out

The YouGarden Japanese Maple offers a stunning addition to your garden with its unique fan-shaped foliage that changes colour throughout the seasons. You will enjoy watching the leaves transition from pale orange to lime green and finally to orange-red, providing vibrant scenery year-round. This slow-growing tree is also winter hardy, making it an ideal choice for gardens in colder parts of the UK. The small crimson flowers that appear in summer add extra charm as the tree matures, enhancing your outdoor space beautifully.

What We Like
Beautiful seasonal foliage changes
Slow-growing, easy to maintain
Winter hardy for UK gardens
Attractive small summer flowers

You Garden Japanese Maple Acer palmatum 'Orange Dream'

Green,Orange,Pink
3L Pot
You Garden Japanese Maple Acer palmatum 'Orange Dream' Cover
You Garden - Japanese Maple Acer palmatum 'Orange Dream' in a 3L Pot - Outdoor Garden Ready Trees for Oriental Style Gardens - Oriental Maple Tree for UK Gardens in Pots

The You Garden Orange Dream Maple is a stunning acer that transforms your garden with its vibrant colours throughout the year. You will appreciate its fully hardy nature, ensuring it thrives even in the coldest winters. In spring, you can enjoy bright orange new growth that adds a delightful touch to your outdoor space. This Japanese maple features slow-growing, easy-to-maintain foliage that makes it perfect for small gardens or large pots, allowing you to create a beautiful focal point in any setting.

What We Like
Stunning colour year-round
Fully hardy in cold winters
Slow-growing and easy to maintain
Ideal for small gardens
RHS Award of Garden Merit
#TOP 4

Acer Tricolour Japanese Maple Tree Trio

PLANTS-V-ACETRI-3L
multicolour
Acer Tricolour Japanese Maple Tree Trio Cover
Acer Tricolour Japanese Maple Tree - Acer Plants Outdoor Garden Ready in Pots - 3 x Acers in One, Small Trees for Garden Ready to Plant (3 Litre Pot, 50-70cm)

The Acer Tricolour Maple is a stunning addition to any garden, offering a beautiful array of colours that can enhance your outdoor space. This unique tree features three varieties in one pot, allowing you to enjoy diverse foliage without taking up too much room. It is ready to plant upon arrival, making it convenient for you to get started right away. With its manageable size, this Acer is perfect for small gardens, offering elegance without overwhelming your landscape.

What We Like
Beautiful colour variety
Three trees in one pot
Ready to plant upon arrival
Suitable for small gardens
#TOP 5

Acer Hime Shojo Japanese Maple Tree

PLANTS-V-PATIO-ACEHSH-50CM
70-80cm (Incl. Pot)
Acer Hime Shojo Japanese Maple Tree Cover
Acer Hime Shojo - Japanese Maple Tree - Potted Ornamental Patio Trees - Ideal for Small Gardens, Patios and Pathways - Vibrant Red Foliage Leaves (70-80cm Incl. Pot)

The Acer Hime Shojo Tree adds a vibrant focal point to your garden with its stunning red foliage, which deepens throughout the seasons. It is perfect for small gardens and patios, effortlessly bringing a burst of life and colour to any outdoor space. Caring for this tree is simple; just place it in full sun with slight shade and water when the soil feels dry. Ideal for beginners, its adaptability makes it an excellent choice for those new to gardening.

What We Like
Vibrant seasonal colour
Ideal for small spaces
Low maintenance care
Great for beginner gardeners

Acer Little Princess Japanese Maple Tree

PLANTS-ACELIP-9C
20-30cm (Incl. Pot)
Acer Little Princess Japanese Maple Tree Cover
Acer Little Princess Plant - Japanese Maple Tree | Hardy Deciduous Outdoor Garden Shrubs Potted | 9cm Pot, 20-30cm Incl. Pot

The Acer Little Princess is a charming dwarf shrub that brings distinctive colour-changing foliage to your garden. Its compact habit makes it ideal for small spaces, allowing you to enjoy its beauty even in limited areas. You will appreciate the stunning transformation of its leaves from vibrant green to rich shades of orange, red, and yellow throughout the seasons. This hardy tree thrives in various soil types, ensuring you can plant it with ease and confidence, knowing it will flourish in moist but well-drained conditions.

What We Like
Compact size for small gardens
Beautiful colour-changing foliage
Thrives in various soil types
Hardy and easy to maintain
#TOP 7

Acer Orange Dream Plant - Japanese Maple Tree

Orange,Yellow
Acer Orange Dream Plant - Japanese Maple Tree Cover
Acer Orange Dream Plant - 20-30cm in Height - Japanese Maple Tree

The Acer Orange Dream Plant is a stunning addition to any garden. Its foliage changes colour throughout the year, providing a vibrant display that enhances your outdoor space. The bright orange growth is particularly striking, transforming into a lovely yellow in autumn. This fully hardy plant, reaching up to 3 metres in height over 20 years, is perfect for creating a focal point in your garden. However, do keep in mind that it will be leafless during the winter and early spring months.

What We Like
Colour-changing foliage
Bright orange growth
Fully hardy plant
Ideal for garden focal points
#TOP 8

Acer palmatum dissectum 'Garnet' Japanese Maple Tree

PL-V-ACEGAR-3L
Pink,Red
50-70cm (Incl. Pot)
Acer palmatum dissectum 'Garnet' Japanese Maple Tree Cover
Acer palmatum dissectum 'Garnet' | Japanese Maple Deciduous Potted Trees for Small Gardens | Premium Bushy Plant Shrub Tree in Pot (50-70cm (Incl. Pot))

The Garnet Japanese Maple is a stunning addition to any small garden. Its distinct pink foliage, finely dissected and feathery, transforms into a striking scarlet in autumn. This tree holds its colour better than most acers, providing a vibrant display from spring through to autumn. With an ultimate height of around 2m and a spread of 3m, it fits perfectly in various garden spaces. Ideally, it thrives in full sun but can also tolerate partial shade, making it a versatile choice for your outdoor area.

What We Like
Vibrant seasonal colour changes
Compact size for small gardens
Tolerates partial shade
Well-drained soil adaptability
Distinctive feathery foliage
#TOP 9

Acer palmatum Sumi Nagashi Japanese Maple Tree

PLANTS-ACESNA-3L
50-70cm (Incl. Pot)
Acer palmatum Sumi Nagashi Japanese Maple Tree Cover
Acer palmatum Sumi Nagashi - Japanese Maple Tree | Large Outdoor Garden Ready Plant in Pot (50-70cm Incl. Pot)

The Sumi Nagashi Maple is a stunning deciduous shrub that can also be grown as a small tree. Its unique vase shape and striking foliage add beauty to your garden, transitioning from purple-red in spring to bright red in autumn. This variety thrives in partial shade, making it perfect for various garden settings. With a height and spread of up to 4m, it offers a substantial presence. Additionally, the small flowers in spring and potential winged fruit in autumn provide further interest throughout the seasons.

What We Like
Attractive seasonal foliage
Suitable for partial shade
Easy maintenance
Height adds garden interest
#TOP 10

Acer rubrum 'October Glory' Red Maple Tree

TT-ACEOGL-12L
Acer rubrum 'October Glory' Red Maple Tree Cover
Acer rubrum 'October Glory' | Red Canadian Maple | Ornamental Garden | 5-6ft

The October Glory Maple is a stunning addition to any garden. This hardy tree showcases vibrant scarlet red, amber orange, and golden yellow leaves in autumn, providing a spectacular display that enhances your outdoor space. In April to May, it blooms with small crimson flowers, adding an extra touch of beauty. With a potential height of 6 metres and a spread of 4 metres in 20 years, it can be a striking focal point. It thrives in full sun or partial shade, allowing you to position it conveniently in your garden.

What We Like
Vibrant autumn foliage
Crimson flowers in spring
Hardy and resilient
Suitable for various soil types
Attractive focal point
Buying Guide Image

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Which maple tree is best for backyard?

If you're looking to add fall interest and color to your backyard, sugar maple is a great selection. Growing 60 to 75 feet tall, the sugar maple boasts a spreading canopy that puts on a vibrant show in autumn. Considered both a shade and an ornamental tree, it's no wonder this is an American favorite for the yard.

2. Which maple tree can tolerate full sun?

Acer japonicum 'Aconitifolium' This green leaf maple has deeply divided leaves that turn brilliant shades of red and orange in the fall, leading to the name “dancing peacock.” One of the most sun-tolerant Japanese maples, this variety can handle full morning sun in southern states like Texas, Oklahoma, and Alabama.

3. Are maple trees good for front yard?

A fast-growing red maple, 'Sun Valley' brings outstanding fall color to a front yard. It's a reliable shade tree with good leafhopper resistance. A medium size tree, growth tops out at 20 to 25 feet. Why we love it: This is a male variety—you won't deal with seeds.

4. Can a maple tree survive in the winter?

In the winter, the maple tree has even less use for chlorophyll as the days are short and sunshine is scarce. Winter also brings challenges like cold, frost, and snow. Without a plan, the tree would see its leaves freeze and die during these cold months.

Editor's Notes

During our maple outdoor tree research, we found 50 maple outdoor tree products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 6,462 customer reviews through our big data system to write the maple outdoor trees list. We found that most customers choose maple outdoor trees with an average price of £21.46.

The maple outdoor trees are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of maple outdoor trees, including GardenersDream, YouGarden, Carbeth Plants. The seller of top 1 product has received honest feedback from 10,637 consumers with an average rating of 4.7.

Written by
Toby Butcher Avatar

Toby Butcher is a Horticulturist, and he earned his title as a Master Gardener in 2016. Toby has acquired a 25-year experience as a home gardener planting, designing, grooming vegetables and flowers. He is the leader of a plant group in Durham. Toby owns a blog where he publishes articles on growing and growing your flowers at home, in a vase, or in a garden.