How do I start a red maple? The tree on a neighbor's front lawn is a maple. I'm...
The tree on a neighbor's front lawn is a maple. I'm not sure what kind, but the leaves are almost a burgundy color. I'd love to bear some of the seed it drops and start a couple new trees. Is that possible? When do I collect the pip, and how do I make sure it germinates? Assuming I start the pip in pots, do I leave the pots outside contained by winter? I live in central Canada.
Answers: It is unlikely you can start this tree from kernel.
True Red Maple, or Acer rubrum, does drop a lot of seeds and grows from them. I own also started them from softwood cuttings. However, the true Red Maple is green all summer and turns red only surrounded by the fall!
the tree you describe might be a variety of Norway Maple (Acer platanoides) specified as 'Crimson King' or it may be a variety of Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum). One of those that is burgundy is agreed as a 'Bloodgood' maple. Japanese maples are shorter, wider specimens and considered to be ornamental rather than shade trees.
Neither or these is plausible to come true from seed. I know the Crimson King drops some seed, but they seem to be to either be sterile or sprout green. New Crimson Kings for sale within the garden center are budded or grafted individuals. The same is true for the Japanese Maples.
Your best bet would be to leave the propagation to professionals and buy some small ones. But by adjectives means, if you want to experiment with the seed? It may be interesting! I guess I would just watch for them to ripen and drop and basically leave them lay on the surface where they may be undaunted for a year or two and see what happens.