Autumn BlazeR maple (Acer x freemanii ‘Jeffersred’) is probably the most popular of the Freeman cultivars. It forms a dense oval habit with ascending branches. Autumn Blaze has a rapid growth rate, is tolerant of droughty soils, hardy and it is able to grow on alkaline soils better than most other Freeman cultivars. The autumn color is a deep burgundy red and it is one of the first to color in the autumn, sometimes mid-September. There are some issues with hardiness in North Dakota and the Prairie Provinces (even Aberdeen, S.D.) and growing the trees in sod, rather than mulch, seems to improve the tree’s ability to survive the Northern Plains winters.
Autumn FantasyR maple (Acer x freemanii ‘DTR 102’) has an outstanding crimson autumn color. The form is upright, appearing more similar to a silver maple than a red maple. The leaves are also slightly larger than most Freeman maples. This is one of the least hardy Freeman maples and may not perform well in the Prairie Provinces however, it may be one of the more drought tolerant.
