What Does a Bigleaf Maple Need to Survive?

Climate

• Bigleaf maples grow best in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 9, tolerating winter temperatures as low as minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit. The tree does well in low-lying, wet areas, but is also appropriate for growing at higher elevations, as it grows wild in mountainous areas up to 7,000 feet above sea level. It has a moderate tolerance for the salinity levels common to seaside areas. The trees can grow in either full sun or partial shade.

Soil

• Bigleaf maples grow in a variety of soil types, including loamy, sandy or clay soil, but they do best in rich humus with a coarse texture. In heavy soils, such as clay or soils that are too fine, adding some gravel to the soil before planting roughens the texture. The tree likes moist soil as long as it is well-draining. Soil acidity, or pH level, should range between 4.8 and 7.0. Bigleaf maples can raise the pH of the soil around them as fallen leaves decompose into the soil. Their broad yet shallow root system makes the trees appropriate for planting in areas where deep-rooted trees would fail.

Water

• Bigleaf maples can grow in stream beds, flood plains as well as in low moisture areas at higher elevations and on hillsides. They thrive using the moisture provided by regular rainfall and rarely need to be watered.
  Bigleaf maples are generally drought-tolerant, but as with any plant, it should receive supplemental water when prolonged drought occurs and the tree begins to show signs of water stress such as drooping or wilted leaves.

Considerations

• Bigleaf maples are virtually care-free, requiring no heavy maintenance except to prune away dead or dying limbs and branches in winter, when the tree is dormant. Carpenter worms, borers and powderpost beetles may occasionally attack and damage the trees. Fungi can invade through wounds in the tree caused by gardening tools.

  Several species of wildlife enjoy bigleaf maples for food and housing. Squirrels and birds may nest in the trees and they, along with mice, use the tree's seeds for food. Deer and elk eat twigs and can kill young, vulnerable trees quickly.