Crimson King Maple

About Crimson King Maple in Alberta

Crimson King Maple is a purple-leaved cultivar of Norway Maple, not a separate wild Alberta species. In Alberta it should be treated as an introduced planted ornamental shade tree, most relevant in urban and managed landscapes such as boulevards, parks, institutional grounds, older neighborhoods, and private yards. For ARA, its value is mainly as a visible cultivated heritage tree: a mature dark-canopied maple can mark older ornamental planting taste, long-term survival in prairie city conditions, and the need to distinguish true Crimson King from other purple Norway Maple cultivars.

Identification: Leaves are opposite, simple, broad, and palmately lobed, following the normal Norway Maple pattern. The key Crimson King trait is deep maroon, red-purple, or dark purple foliage that persists through most of the growing season. Leaf colour alone is not enough for a firm identification because several Norway Maple cultivars have similar purple foliage.

Alberta range and habitat: Crimson King Maple has no confirmed wild Alberta distribution. Alberta records should be treated as planted unless strong evidence shows escape or naturalization.