Physical description: Deciduous trailing shrub.

The real beauty of the autumn blaze maple that makes it the best front yard tree in Upstate NY is its fall foliage. This tree lives up to its name each year as fall sets its leaves ablaze in an explosion of red and orange leaves.

Often multi-stemmed, but may have single trunk.

It’s truly jaw-dropping and gives the iconic look of Upstate NY fall. The other reason the autumn blaze maple makes the list of best trees to plant in Upstate NY is that it’s exceptionally hardy.

Moist, well drained soil. Tolerates very wide range of soil types.

Wildlife Value: The seed, fruit, flowers, twigs, bark and leaves are all used as food by various animals.

Physical Description: Evergreen conifer. Conical shape, older trees with long upswept branches. Dark green needles, ¾ inch to 1 inch long, four sided with sharp tip.

Leaf scar is a raised woody peg. Cone red-brown, very large, 6 inches to 8 inches long with thin stiff scales.