Acer platanoides ‘Crimson Sentry’

Renowned for its dramatic ornamental features, there are many keen admirers of the ‘Crimson King‘ and the purple foliage it offers the landscape, although many planners and designers are not yet aware of the fantastic ‘Crimson Sentry’.

This cultivar is very similar to the Crimson King, but has a noticeably narrower canopy, which is columnar in shape with upright ascending branches. This creates further planting options making its use available in locations with less feasible space, allowing its use of colour in garden designs, suburban street planting and as a feature tree within tighter locations. Don’t be fooled into thinking this is just a tighter form of the ‘Crimson King’ though. Its dense canopy provides ample shade and the tree maintains a neat and tidy appearance, and it creates its own appeal with its unique leaf colour and shape, standing proudly tall like a royal soldier to show it. Its purple leaves emerge a fresh raspberry red in the spring, which darkens to a deep raspberry jam, then light crimson for the summer months. The leaves are smaller than the ‘Crimson King’, with softer edges and lobes.

In spring, inconspicuous yellow flowers appear, adding a subtle charm to the tree. These give way to small winged seeds that add to the overall aesthetic appeal. As the seasons progress, Crimson Sentry continues to captivate with its consistent vivid foliage, making it a standout choice for year-round visual interest.