Generally — Most Areas
red maple (zones 3-9) partially overlaps with Texas (6b-10a). It can grow in zones 6-9 within the state.
Your yard isn't the whole zone.
Texas spans zones 6b-10a, but your yard sits in exactly one — and slope, tree cover, and cold-air pockets nudge it further. Enter your address and we'll score red maple against your parcel's actual hardiness, soil, and sun.
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Zone Comparison
Red Maple Needs
- USDA Zones: 3-9
- Soil pH: 4 - 6.5
- Sun: Full Sun
- Drainage: well (dry spells)
- Frost-Free Days: 210+
Texas Has
- USDA Zones: 6b-10a
- Last Frost: Feb 1 - Apr 15
- First Frost: Oct 15 - Dec 15
- Annual Rainfall: 8-56 inches
- Common Soils: Black clay (Blackland Prairie), Sandy loam, Caliche
Plant Zone Range (zones 3-9)
Preferred Soil pH
Plant data: USDA PLANTS Database / plant_species_v5.csv. State data: USDA ARS PHZM 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NRCS SSURGO.
When to Plant Red Maple in Texas
The frost window
Across Texas, the last spring frost clears between Feb 1 and Apr 15, and the first fall frost lands between Oct 15 and Dec 15 (NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last frost to the earliest first frost, that's a 183-day window you can count on — up to 317 days on a mild site in a kind year.
Frost tenderness
Red Maple is frost-tender — its listed minimum temperature is 44.6°F (USDA PLANTS Database) — so set plants out after the last frost has cleared your local site, not the state's earliest date.
Establishment timing
As a long-lived plant, red maple isn't racing the calendar to a harvest date. Plant it in spring once the last-frost window passes so roots settle in through the full season, or in early fall while the soil still holds summer warmth.
Timing tuned to sub-state frost dates — Dallam County, not the statewide average.
Frost window: NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020. Plant timing fields: USDA PLANTS Database. Your site's own frost dates can run earlier or later than the state range — a parcel report pins them down.
Growing Season Fit
Zone compatibility says you can survive winter here. Whether the growing season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.
Frost-free days
Red Maple wants 210+ frost-free days; a typical Texas site sees ~320 (NOAA Climate Normals). That leaves comfortable headroom for succession planting.
Chill hours
Red Maple requires ~1000 chill hours (32-45°F dormancy window). Texas typically banks ~600 chill hours per winter, short of this plant's requirement — fruit set may suffer in mild years without a low-chill cultivar.
Climate aggregates derive from USDA NRCS county-level hardiness data + Cornell CALS Extension GDD-by-region tables + MSU Extension chill-hours-by-zone (1991-2020 NOAA Climate Normals baseline).
Soil + Drainage Fit
Red Maple likes near-neutral soil (pH 4-6.5). That's the common-ground band across Texas's black clay (blackland prairie) and sandy loam — a soil test confirms it for your site. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your Texas site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, raised beds or amendment with compost solve it.
Your land, not the state average
Texas soil pH averages about 7.0–7.9, but SSURGO maps it swinging by full points parcel to parcel — your map unit, not the state number, decides whether red maple needs lime or sulfur.
Check your parcel → Source: USDA NRCS SSURGO.
Plant pH and drainage requirements from USDA PLANTS Database. Texas soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
Red Maple in Texas — Quick Answer
- Verdict: Generally — Most Areas
- Plant Zones: 3-9 (USDA PLANTS Database)
- State Zones: 6b-10a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023)
- Growing Season: Feb 1 - Apr 15 to Oct 15 - Dec 15 (NOAA Climate Normals)
What Else to Consider
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but Texas growers also need to think about:
Extreme heat (100F+ days) stresses many crops from June through September
Run the garden on spring and fall windows and give summer survivors afternoon shade — timing beats fighting the heat.
Rainfall varies dramatically — 8 inches in west TX to 56 inches in east TX
Your county's rainfall, not the state's, sets the watering plan — check your exact spot before designing beds.
Heavy black clay (Blackland Prairie) is difficult to work and drains poorly
A raised bed with amended soil turns Blackland clay from an obstacle into a backdrop — and that clay feeds deep roots well.
Flash drought conditions can develop rapidly even in wet years
Mulch deep and water deeply-but-rarely to grow drought-tough roots; a drip system pays for itself in the first dry summer.
Growing red maple here specifically
Red Maple prefers acidic soil (pH 4.0–6.5), but Texas's soils trend alkaline (SSURGO dominant pH near 7.5) — above its range, iron and other micronutrients become unavailable.
Test your soil and acidify with elemental sulfur toward red maple's 4.0–6.5 range before planting. How to handle it →
Timing shifts within Texas
Texas isn't one climate. In Dallam County, the last hard freeze (28°F) holds until about Mar 22 — roughly 40 days later than the recorded state median — so plant red maple to your county's window, not the statewide date.
County last-freeze dates: NOAA/PRISM Climate Normals 1991-2020, 28°F threshold (earlier than the folk 32°F "last frost"). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.
Pollinator + Wildlife Value
Red Maple draws pollinators (moderate value, USDA PLANTS Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops.
Texas Cooperative Extension
For Texas-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for red maple, the canonical source is Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Red Maple native to Texas?
Yes — the USDA PLANTS Database (accessed 2026-07-01) documents Red Maple as native to Texas. Planting it supports the pollinators and wildlife that evolved alongside it.
Native-range data: USDA PLANTS Database state-distribution records, accessed 2026-07-01.
Common Questions About Growing Red Maple in Texas
When can I plant Red Maple in Texas?
Texas's last spring frost clears between Feb 1 and Apr 15, and the first fall frost lands between Oct 15 and Dec 15 (NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020). Red Maple is a long-lived planting, so target spring just after your local last frost — or early fall while the soil holds warmth — and let it establish through the season.
What hardiness zone is Red Maple grown in across Texas?
Texas spans USDA hardiness zones 6b-10a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Red Maple carries a range of zones 3-9, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical Texas site have?
A typical Texas site sees ~320 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020). Red Maple needs 210+ frost-free days, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date. In cooler counties like Dallam, the freeze-free season runs shorter than the state average, so verify your own county's window.
Is Red Maple native to Texas?
Yes — the USDA PLANTS Database (accessed 2026-07-01) documents Red Maple as native to Texas. Planting it supports the pollinators and wildlife that evolved alongside it.
How should I amend the soil for Red Maple in Texas?
Red Maple prefers pH 4-6.5 and well (dry spells) drainage (USDA PLANTS Database). That sits in the common-ground band across Texas soils — a 30-minute soil test from a local Extension lab confirms it for your specific site.
Will Red Maple actually grow on my specific land in Texas?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores red maple against your address's exact soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost-date data drawn from USDA SSURGO, NOAA, and PRISM — not state averages.
Check your specific parcel in Texas
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores red maple against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Analysis by the Growable Ground research team, grounded in USDA PLANTS, USDA NRCS SSURGO, NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020), and named Cooperative Extension sources. How we know →