HOT WINGS® Tatarian maple is a superior small ornamental tree that was discovered Colorado but is destined for distribution throughout the country. The natural range of Tatarian maple is from Southeastern Europe into Western Asia. It likely arrived in North America in the early 1900s during the days of the U.S. Department of Agriculture worldwide plant exploration.
HOT WINGS® appeared as a chance-seedling found growing in the production fields of Fort Collins Wholesale Nursery at Fort Collins, CO in 1993. This particular tree stood out from all the other Tatarian maples for six weeks every summer with its breath-taking scarlet red samaras (helicopters) contrasting with the rich green foliage giving it an appearance of being in bloom. One of the employees said it reminded him of Christmas in July. In the spring, clusters of yellow-white flowers cover the tree after the leaves appear. Fall leaf color transforms from orange-red on the outside of the tree to yellow in the middle. HOT WINGS® also has strong branch unions making it less prone to storm breakage than other Tatarian maples. The horticulturists at Fort Collins Wholesale Nursery recognized the superior qualities of this tree and decided to continue close observation. Plant Select® learned of the plant and after several years of continued trials, agreed that this indeed was a superior tree, and offered to patent the tree and promote it.
Zones 4-10
15-18' tall & wide
Full sun to part shade