• Red maples are among the most colorful trees in fall.red maple tree image by Giovanni Aquaro from Fotolia.com
  
  There is nothing quite like the feeling of a maple-lined street in autumn. The change of seasons isn't complete without the outline of bright red and orange leaves against a crisp blue sky. Not all maples produce intense colors in fall, but the family of red maples (Acer rubrum) has some of the most colorful autumn foliage for the home landscape. Although maples can be fussy about their soil, preferring a neutral to acidic pH and regular moisture, the rewards are worth the work.
  
  

October Glory

• Early snows may catch October Glory maples unprepared for the cold temperatures.maple image by Vitalii Boduen from Fotolia.com
  
  Named for its late fall coloration, October Glory is a maple with a broad, oval to pyramidal form. It may grow nearly 60 feet tall and 50 feet wide; this maple is not for small yards. October Glory has rich, emerald green leaves in summer that turn into vibrant shades of red and orange in late fall. Because this cultivar colors up late in the season, early freezes may ruin the fall show in northern gardens. October Glory is a good choice for more temperate landscapes, however, and the North Carolina State University Extension states that October Glory has "excellent color for the south." October Glory is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 10, but may sustain some damage from early frosts.
  
  

Columnare

• Red maples often have red-tinged new growth, spring flowers or seeds.maple seed image by cvrgrl from Fotolia.com
  
  Columnare (or Columnar), as the name suggests, is an upright, columnar maple that reliably turns from a deep green to a rusty red or orange in the fall. Columnare grows up to 60 feet tall but remains remarkably narrow, growing only 15 feet wide. Despite the limited width, Columnare is a full, billowy tree, unlike fastigate poplar forms. It is more dense than other columnar maple varieties like Armstrong. This cultivar lives 50 to 150 years, according to the Urban Forest Ecosystems Institute, tolerates acidic to mildly alkaline soil and is useful as a screen or windbreak. Columnare is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 10.
  
  

Autumn Flame

• Red maples produce deep, intense fall colors.maple leaf image by Richard Paul from Fotolia.com
  
  Opposite in form to Columnare, Autumn Flame maple has a rounded crown nearly as wide as it is tall. Autumn Flame grows up to 55 feet tall and 45 feet wide, and the Clemson University Extension calls Autumn Flame "one of the best cultivars." Unlike many trees, Autumn Flame produces this broad crown even when young. It is one of the first maples to color up in the fall, starting off the autumn show with a bang of bright, scarlet red. Autumn Flame grows quickly, has smaller leaves than many maple varieties and is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 10.