A drought tolerant sugar maple.

Acer saccharum Crescendo™

More drought tolerant and consistent fall color, making this one a sugar maple that can grow a little further south and in drier conditions - the perfect climate change plant.

Crescendo is a selection of the native sugar maple and makes an excellent specimen or shade tree for the residential lawn, parks, and golf courses. The thick and durable foliage is dark green all summer, and reliably turns to a brilliant orange-red every autumn. An attractive tree with a uniform oval habit. The flowers and fruit are insignificant. The gray bark becomes slightly furrowed with age. Crescendo is more drought-tolerant than many midwestern grown sugar maple selections. Like most sugar maples, do not use on sites with compacted or restricted soils, or in areas with significant salt spray or runoff.

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Who Am I?

Common Name

Crescendo maple
Botanical Name

Acer saccharum 'Morton'
Origin

Selected from the collections of The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois, for its excellent heat and drought tolerance, durable dark green summer foliage, outstanding orange-red fall color, and uniform, broadly oval habit.

Cultural Details

Bloom Time

Spring
Size

Grows to 20-25' tall by 15-20-' wide in 10 to 15 years. Mature size will approach 40-45' tall by 30-35'wide.
Hardiness Zone

5-7
Light

Full sun
Soil

Moderately moist, rich, well-drained acidic to slightly alkaline soil
Moisture

Moist, but well-drained. Drought tolerant once established.
Disease & Pests

Excellent heat and drought tolerance. Like other sugar maples, it does not tolerate compacted soils, areas with high air pollution, or significant salt spray or runoff.
Landscape Use

Specimen, street tree, allee, urban garden
Propagation

Grafting, Softwood Cuttings