Originally introduced by Dick Wolff at Red Maple Nursery in Pennsylvania as Emperor 1 in 1976 and much later patented under that name by someone in Oregon. Many growers grow this plant as 'Red Emperor'. It does not matter what you call it, this is a great plant. It is one of many in a long line of trees to claim the title "Better Than Bloodgood" and in some ways it is. 'Red Emperor does not burn in full sun in the Southeast, as to how well it holds it's color, we find that in some landscapes it does as well or better than other cultivars but in other situations it seems to turn green a little quicker. We have yet to determine what causes this. Either way, this tree will not disappoint you. Another advantage is that it usually leafs out a few days later than 'Bloodgood' in the spring lessening the chance of frost damage. The growth rate is very good, spring color is dark purple and fall color is bright red.

10 Year Size: Height:   15-18 Feet    Width:  12-15 Feet