Columnar Maple Trees: 8 Narrow Varieties for Tight Spaces

Most maples spread 40 to 50 feet wide. That’s great if you have the room. If you’re planting along a driveway, between buildings, or in a yard where every foot counts, you need a columnar maple. These varieties grow tall and narrow, typically 10 to 15 feet wide instead of 40, delivering fall color and shade without eating your whole yard.

Columnar maples are the deciduous answer to columnar evergreen trees. They give you seasonal interest (flowers, fall color, winter bark) in the same tight footprint that arborvitae and cypress offer for year-round screening.

What makes a maple “columnar”?

A columnar tree has a width-to-height ratio of roughly 1:3 or narrower. A tree that’s 30 feet tall and 10 feet wide is columnar. A tree that’s 30 feet tall and 25 feet wide is not. The upright form comes from genetics. These are cultivars specifically selected and propagated for narrow branching angles.

Some columnar maples are strictly fastigiate (branches grow almost straight up). Others are more loosely columnar (narrower than the species average but not pencil-thin). The distinction matters when you’re fitting a tree into a 12-foot gap between your house and the property line.

The best columnar maple varieties

Armstrong Red Maple (Acer rubrum ‘Armstrong’)

The most popular columnar maple in North America. Armstrong grows in a tight, upright oval form that’s perfect for street planting, driveways, and narrow side yards. The original Armstrong has silver-green foliage that turns orange to red in fall. Fast growth for a columnar tree.

• Zones: 4-9
• Mature size: 45-50 feet tall, 15-20 feet wide
• Growth rate: Fast (2-3 feet/year)
• Fall color: Orange to red (variable)
• Best for: Street trees, driveway borders, median strips

The one knock on Armstrong: fall color can be inconsistent. Some trees turn brilliant red, others fade to yellowish-orange. If predictable fall color matters to you, look at the improved version below.

Armstrong Gold Red Maple (Acer rubrum ‘JFS-KW78’)

An improved Armstrong selection with reliably golden-yellow to orange fall color. Same narrow form and fast growth as the original, but the autumn display is more consistent. Trademarked as Armstrong Gold.

• Zones: 4-9
• Mature size: 40-45 feet tall, 12-15 feet wide
• Growth rate: Fast (2-3 feet/year)
• Fall color: Golden yellow to orange (reliable)
• Best for: Where you want consistent fall color in a narrow footprint

Crimson Sentry Norway Maple (Acer platanoides ‘Crimson Sentry’)

Deep purple-red foliage from spring through fall. This is the columnar version of ‘Crimson King’ Norway maple, holding its dark color all season without the massive 45-foot spread. The dense canopy provides heavy shade and the dark leaves create a striking contrast with green-leaved neighbors.

• Zones: 4-7
• Mature size: 25-35 feet tall, 15-20 feet wide
• Growth rate: Slow to medium (1-2 feet/year)
• Fall color: Reddish-bronze (leaves are already dark, so fall change is subtle)
• Best for: Purple foliage accent, privacy, front yard focal points

Note on Norway maples: they’re considered invasive in parts of New England and the upper Midwest. Check your state’s invasive species list before planting. Where they’re not restricted, Crimson Sentry is one of the best compact purple-leaved trees available.

Bowhall Red Maple (Acer rubrum ‘Bowhall’)

Narrower than Armstrong with a more consistently tight form. Bowhall grows in a distinctly pyramidal shape that stays tight without pruning. Yellow to orange-red fall color. A solid choice where you need a columnar maple under power lines or in spaces too tight even for Armstrong.

• Zones: 3-8
• Mature size: 40-50 feet tall, 15 feet wide
• Growth rate: Medium (1.5-2 feet/year)
• Fall color: Yellow-orange to red
• Best for: Extremely narrow spaces, cold climates (hardier than Armstrong in Zone 3)

Columnare Norway Maple (Acer platanoides ‘Columnare’)

The classic columnar Norway maple. More strictly columnar than Crimson Sentry, with dense green foliage that turns yellow in fall. Very uniform shape. Used extensively as a street tree in urban settings because it tolerates pollution, compacted soil, and road salt.

• Zones: 4-7
• Mature size: 40-50 feet tall, 15-20 feet wide
• Growth rate: Medium
• Fall color: Yellow
• Best for: Urban conditions, salt tolerance, formal look

Temple’s Upright Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum ‘Temple’s Upright’)

If you want sugar maple fall color in a narrow form, this is it. Temple’s Upright produces the classic orange-gold-red display of sugar maple but in a columnar package about 15 feet wide. Slower growing than red maple varieties but longer-lived and more stunning in October.

• Zones: 3-8
• Mature size: 45-50 feet tall, 15-20 feet wide
• Growth rate: Slow to medium (1-1.5 feet/year)
• Fall color: Orange, gold, red (the full sugar maple spectrum)
• Best for: Fall color in narrow spaces, cold-hardy situations

Sugar maples need well-drained, slightly acidic soil. They struggle in compacted urban settings, alkaline clay, and areas with road salt. If your soil is heavy clay or you’re planting near a salted road, stick with a red maple variety instead. For more on maple species differences, see our types of maple trees guide.

Apollo Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum ‘Apollo’)

A columnar Japanese maple for small yards and containers. Apollo stays narrow with upright branching and green leaves that turn brilliant orange-red in fall. Much smaller scale than the other trees on this list, making it ideal for patios, courtyards, and narrow beds.

• Zones: 5-8
• Mature size: 15-20 feet tall, 6-8 feet wide
• Growth rate: Slow (6-12 inches/year)
• Fall color: Orange to red
• Best for: Small yards, containers, patio gardens, ornamental accent

Parkway Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum ‘Parkway’)

Broader than other columnar maples on this list but still significantly narrower than a standard sugar maple. Parkway was selected for its uniform oval shape, strong branching, and reliable fall color. Good heat tolerance for a sugar maple, performing well into Zone 8.

• Zones: 4-8
• Mature size: 45 feet tall, 25 feet wide
• Growth rate: Medium
• Fall color: Yellow-orange to red
• Best for: When you want a sugar maple that’s narrower than normal but not strictly columnar

Spacing columnar maples for screening

One of the best uses for columnar maples is creating a deciduous screen or privacy border. Unlike evergreen hedges that block views year-round, a row of columnar maples provides summer privacy and winter light.

Spacing guidelines:

• For a solid summer screen: plant 10-12 feet apart (center to center)
• For individual specimens with some gaps: 15-18 feet apart
• For a formal allée or driveway border: 20-25 feet apart

A row of Armstrong maples planted 12 feet apart along a property line will grow into a continuous wall of foliage within 5-7 years. The winter silhouette of bare branches still provides some visual screening while letting light through.

Columnar maple comparison

Variety	Height	Width	Zones	Growth	Fall color
Armstrong Red Maple	45-50 ft	15-20 ft	4-9	Fast	Orange-red
Armstrong Gold	40-45 ft	12-15 ft	4-9	Fast	Gold-orange
Crimson Sentry	25-35 ft	15-20 ft	4-7	Slow-med	Bronze-red
Bowhall	40-50 ft	15 ft	3-8	Medium	Yellow-red
Columnare	40-50 ft	15-20 ft	4-7	Medium	Yellow
Temple’s Upright	45-50 ft	15-20 ft	3-8	Slow-med	Multi-color
Apollo JM	15-20 ft	6-8 ft	5-8	Slow	Orange-red
Parkway	45 ft	25 ft	4-8	Medium	Yellow-red

Planting and care

Columnar maples need the same care as their parent species. A columnar red maple has the same soil, water, and sun needs as any red maple. The only difference is the narrow form.

Planting: Fall is ideal for most regions. Spring works in zones 3-5. Follow standard tree planting technique and water consistently for the first two years per our watering guide.

Pruning: Minimal. The whole point of columnar varieties is that they maintain their shape without heavy pruning. Remove dead or crossing branches in late winter. If a branch grows outside the columnar form, you can trim it back to maintain the shape. Check our pruning timing guide for details.

Common issues: Maple tree diseases affect columnar varieties the same as standard maples. Watch for verticillium wilt, tar spot, and anthracnose. Norway maple varieties are more disease-resistant but have invasive potential in some regions.

Choosing the right columnar maple

Narrowest options (under 15 feet wide): Apollo Japanese Maple, Armstrong Gold, Bowhall

Best fall color: Temple’s Upright (multi-color), Armstrong Gold (consistent gold)

Fastest growing: Armstrong, Armstrong Gold (both 2-3 feet/year)

Coldest climate (Zone 3): Bowhall, Temple’s Upright

Purple foliage: Crimson Sentry

Smallest overall: Apollo Japanese Maple (15-20 feet tall, 6-8 feet wide)

The right columnar maple depends on your space, zone, and what you want from the tree. Measure the available width before buying. A tree that matures at 20 feet wide needs at least a 12-foot buffer from structures. For more ideas on trees for restricted spaces, see our best trees for small yards guide and mklibrary.com’s curb appeal tips.