Advice on planting sugar maple

I am thinking of replacing the Crimson King maple in my other post, with a sugar maple.
Is there anything about them I should be aware of?
I know they will probably have lots of roots like most maples do, but it will be 150 foot or so from the house. Are there any specific problems with that tree in my area? I don't see alot of them around it seems?

Excellent choice. Might be best to go for the variety called Black Maple, which is more heat tolerant than typical Sugar Maple from further north (note Black Maple is sometimes treated as a distinct species Acer nigrum, sometimes as a variety of Sugar Maple).

Resin

Good for you, FrillyLilly. I bet you'll be a lot happier with a shade tree like Sugar Maple, even though any tree can have a problem from time to time. Sugar Maple is certainly native in MO, but I'm not particularly familiar with your exact "neck of the woods."

There are quite a few selections of Acer saccharum that are perfectly well suited to the vagaries of weather and climate in the middle part of the country (like Missouri). As Resin notes, Black Maple (Acer nigrum, or sometimes listed as Acer saccharum ssp. nigrum) is a quality tree but not nearly so available in landscape sizes from garden centers as Sugar Maple will generally be.

Do some looking into these named clones that have been trialed and shown to be good performers for this part of the country. You will find the descriptions to offer variations in fall color, form, vigor, summer leaf color, and drought tolerance.

•'Autumn Splendor'
•'Commemoration'
•'Crescendo'
•'Endowment'
•'Fall Fiesta'
•'Green Mountain'
•'John Pair'
•'Legacy'
•'Majesty' or 'Flax Mill Majesty'
•'Wright Brothers' (formerly 'Moraine')

Any of these would be fine choices - you have to decide what combination of traits suits you, and then what selections are even offered in your area.

I have never seen a sugar maple for sale anywhere here.
So that will take homework.
They all sale 'improved' varieties like Silver Maple which is a junk tree if you ask me.
I have a Autum Blaze Maple (I think, I can't remember) and another one I can't think of the name of... .
I have never heard of a black maple.

FrillyLily -

I'm a lurker here (a rank amateur, in contrast to Resin and VV), but I do know the location of Lebanon, MO. I'll try to send the link to the Missouri Botanical Garden website info on
black maple - they say the tree is native to north and central MO, so probably a little north of where you are.

http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=A844

Peg

And here's the PLANTS database distribution map from USDA:

http://plants.usda.gov/java/county?state_name=Missouri&statefips=29&symbol=ACSA3

Sugar Maple is found throughout Missouri.

When you say you've never seen this plant for sale anywhere...what are your choices?

I'd think even the big box outlets would have this species every once in a while.

I visit Lowes, Home Depot and WM regular spring through fall.
I also have a local nursery here, but rarely go as they have much same as lowes for twice the money. Might call them and see if they can get me one.
All kinds of maples though for sale, October Glory, Sunset Blaze? Autumn Blaze, Silver, lots of Japanese maples-which are not really a shade tree, and some others I'm sure. Sometimes you wonder what you are getting from those places anyway, they are not always labeled right.

'October Glory', 'Red Sunset', and 'Autumn Blaze' are all cultivars of red maple (Acer rubrum)...well, actually the last is a cross with red maple and something else and more closely resembles a silver maple. Red maples have excellent fall color and are much faster growing than sugar maples, so you might consider getting one of those.

However, it's important that you get a tree that has been grown in your area (acclimated). When you buy a tree from a big box store, unless the source is on the tag (which it often is), you might be getting a cultivar that won't do well in your area. However, if you have a local nursery that actually grows their trees, you can be sure they will do well for you. This is more of a problem in northern zones that get trees brought in from southern nurseries, but still can be a problem for your area if trees come from south of you.

One thing more about nursery vs. big box trees: With rare exceptions, you're getting a better grown tree from a nursery. The price might be more, but a nursery tree is more likely to have been regularly root-pruned with a nice "head" of branches and overall shape resulting in a much healthier and attractive tree. This is not to say that you can't find deals at big box stores, but you have to be very careful. (Regardless, BE SURE to get a named cultivar, not just a species tree. Named cultivars are usually all males, so you don't get hundreds (thousands!) of those little whirligigs every spring as you will with a straight species tree! Ex: Acer rubrum 'October Glory' vs. just Acer rubrum on the label)

Attached is a photo of 'Red Sunset' red maple in fine fall foliage.

We have plenty of sugar maples in the St Louis region.
All our big box retailers carry it regularly, including Lowes / Home Depot, etc.
We also have multiple tree nurseries which stock larger (and pricier) specimens.

Something I always thought was too bad about Sugar Maples, well 2 things actually is:
Grass seems to have a difficult time growing underneath them.
The second one I guess is related to the first, but many times it seems like the very large width of the crown is not very well planned for when the tree is mature. Of course,
on the other hand, my Mom had a big yard full of trees, and little grass, when she moved in and she put down grass seed constantly for a long time, and now she has the large trees and a yard full of grass!
She didn't have a Sugar Maple though. I remember mowing grass (usually over roots) under Sugar Maples and sticks and dust came up in abundance. Sugar Maples (and I'm sure all the selections VV noted) have outstanding Fall color and more than likely those selections don't have the width dilemma. Many fastigiate, narrowly upright forms have been selected. Among them are: 'Barrett Cole' (Apollo™), 'Newton Sentry', 'Steeple' and 'Adirzam' (Adirondak®). I got those names from a more northern source in CT., I'm not sure if these narrow selections are hardy here.
I think the Fall color on Sugar Maples is number one to me. I bet the Black Maple is nearly as awesome.
And no doubt they all much better than all those soft Silver Maples or crosses between Silver and Red Maples.
Happy planting!