A Minnesota-Bred Maple With Fast Growth and a Flawless Form Sienna Glen Maple (Acer × freemanii 'Sienna') is a Minnesota introduction from Bachman's — a Freeman maple (red maple × silver maple) selected for a beautifully symmetrical, pyramidal-to-oval form, strong central leader, and dependable orange-red to burgundy fall color. Bred right here for our climate, it's fast-growing, tolerant of clay and wetter ground, and reliably hardy through USDA zone 3. Whether you want quick, well-structured shade over a Woodbury backyard, a refined fall-color specimen in Maple Grove, or a tough boulevard tree in Lakeville, Sienna Glen combines speed, hardiness, and a near-perfect shape. Sienna Glen Maple Plant Details Attribute Detail Scientific Name Acer × freemanii 'Sienna' (SIENNA GLEN) Common Names Sienna Glen Maple, Sienna Maple, Freeman Maple Mature Height 45–50 feet Mature Width 30–35 feet Growth Rate Fast — about 2–3 feet per year in Minnesota once established Sun Full sun (6+ hrs); tolerates light shade Water Moderate. Tolerates average rainfall and handles both wetter and drier sites well, like its red and silver maple parents. USDA Zones 3–7 (Twin Cities is zone 4b–5a) — exceptionally cold-hardy Soil Highly adaptable. Tolerates Minnesota clay-loam and wet ground; prefers moist, slightly acidic loam. Can show leaf yellowing in very high-pH soils. Foliage Deciduous — symmetrical pyramidal-oval canopy with a strong central leader Fall Color Orange-red to burgundy Winter Hardiness Reliable to USDA zone 3 — bred in Minnesota for the Upper Midwest Deer Resistance Moderately deer-resistant; protect the trunk from buck rub the first 2 winters Native Status A hybrid of native red maple and native silver maple; 'Sienna' is a Bachman's (Minnesota) selection Sienna Glen Maple Uses in Minnesota Landscapes Fast Shade Tree With a Strong Frame Sienna Glen grows quickly — 2–3 feet a year — but unlike older Freeman maples it was bred for a strong central leader and tight, even branching, so it develops a sturdy framework that handles Minnesota wind and wet snow. It's an excellent, quick-establishing emerald-ash-borer replacement. Refined Fall-Color Specimen Its symmetrical pyramidal-oval crown and dependable orange-red to burgundy fall display make Sienna Glen one of the most polished lawn specimens you can plant — clean shape, reliable color, minimal pruning. Boulevard and Group Plantings The uniform, predictable form lines a boulevard or fills a group planting beautifully, and its tolerance of urban and clay soils makes it dependable on tougher Twin Cities sites. Keep it back from the heaviest direct road-salt spray. Wet and Low-Lying Sites With both red and silver maple in its parentage, Sienna Glen tolerates the soggy, poorly drained corners of a property better than most shade trees — handy for low spots and rain-garden edges. Best Time to Plant Sienna Glen Maple in Minnesota Plant in spring (late April–May, after the ground thaws) for a full growing season of root establishment, or in early fall (late August–early October) while the soil is still warm. Get it in the ground at least six weeks before the ground freezes — typically mid-November in the Twin Cities. Avoid mid-summer planting in heat and humidity, and never plant after mid-October or before spring thaw. How to Plant Sienna Glen Maple Dig wide, not deep — 2–3x the root ball width but only as deep as the ball is tall, so the root flare sits at or slightly above grade. Check drainage — Sienna Glen tolerates wet soil, but if water pools and never drains, break through any clay hardpan or mound-plant slightly. Backfill with the native soil mixed with 20–30% compost; don't create a pure-compost "container" the roots won't leave. Spacing — give a single specimen 25–30 feet of clearance; space a row or allee 30–35 feet apart. Build a 3–4 inch watering ring to direct water to the roots, then flatten it before winter so it doesn't trap ice. Mulch with 2–3 inches of shredded bark or wood chips in a wide ring, kept 2 inches off the trunk. Never use gravel mulch in Minnesota — it doesn't insulate roots. Watering Sienna Glen Maple in Minnesota First Year Watering Schedule Weeks 1–2: water deeply and slowly every 1–2 days. Month 1–2: every 3–4 days. Month 3–6: every 5–7 days during active growth, easing off when rainfall is adequate (the Twin Cities average about 3 inches a month from June through August). Stop watering 2–3 weeks before the ground freezes — usually late October — so the tree doesn't push tender growth heading into winter. After Year One An established Sienna Glen largely cares for itself, needing supplemental water only during extended droughts (two-plus weeks with no rain and temps above 80°F). Soak deeply to 8–12 inches every 7–14 days during dry spells and let natural rainfall do the rest. Will Sienna Glen Maple survive a Minnesota winter? Yes — exceptionally well. It's rated to USDA zone 3 and was selected right here in Minnesota by Bachman's for our winters. Wrap the young trunk the first winter to prevent sunscald and buck rub. How is it different from Autumn Blaze? Sienna Glen is a Minnesota-bred Freeman maple known for an even more symmetrical form and a stronger central leader, giving it better resistance to storm breakage along with comparable fast growth and fall color. How fast does it grow here? Fast — about 2–3 feet per year in good Minnesota soil, one of the quicker large maples you can plant. Is it native to Minnesota? It's a hybrid of two natives — red maple and silver maple — selected by Bachman's in Minnesota. It carries the toughness and wet-soil tolerance of both parents. Does it handle clay and wet soil? Yes — very well. Both parent species grow in heavy, wet ground, so Sienna Glen tolerates clay-loam and low, soggy spots better than most shade trees, while also handling dry spells. You May Also Like Autumn Blaze Maple — the popular fast-growing Freeman maple with brilliant orange-red fall color. First Editions Matador Maple — a Freeman maple with deep burgundy-red fall and strong branch structure. Firefall Maple — a seedless University of Minnesota Freeman maple with red-orange fall color. Northwood Red Maple — a University of Minnesota red maple bred for extreme cold-hardiness. Red Sunset Red Maple — a fast-growing red maple with brilliant, dependable orange-red fall color. How Many Sienna Glen Maple Do I Need? Sienna Glen is a full-size shade tree, so one is usually the answer — give a single specimen 25–30 feet of clearance from the house, driveway, and overhead lines. For a boulevard row or allee, space trees 30–35 feet on center; for a faster-closing informal group on a large lot, a triangle of 3 at 25 feet apart creates a connected canopy in about a decade. Sienna Glen Maple Season-by-Season in Minnesota Spring: Small red flowers dust the branches in April before leaf-out — an early-season pollen stop — followed by a clean flush of bright green foliage on its tidy pyramidal frame. Summer: Dense, symmetrical canopy casts real shade fast, adding 2–3 feet of growth a year while shrugging off wind and clay soil. Fall: Dependable orange-red to burgundy color that ranks with the best Freeman maples — the show Minnesota plants it for. Winter: The strong central leader and even branching read as a clean, storm-resistant silhouette against the snow; wrap the young trunk the first two winters. At a Glance ✔ Pollinator-Friendly ✔ Deer-Resistant ✔ Rain-Garden / Wet-Soil ✔ Four-Season Interest Plant It With Autumn Blaze Maple — the classic fast Freeman maple; plant both and compare fall color side by side. Firefall Maple — a seedless U of M Freeman maple that matches Sienna Glen's speed and hardiness. First Editions Matador Maple — deeper burgundy-red fall color for contrast in a group planting. Northwood Red Maple — a U of M red maple parent-species pick for the coldest, most exposed sites. Is Sienna Glen Maple Right for Your Yard? Choose it if you have full sun, room for a 45–50 foot tree, and you want fast shade with a strong, storm-resistant structure — it's one of the best picks for clay soil, low wet corners, and emerald-ash-borer replacements. It's not a fit for small urban lots or under power lines, and in very high-pH alkaline soils the foliage can yellow; site it back from the heaviest direct road-salt spray.
