Legacy Sugar Maple

About this plant

The Legacy Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum 'Legacy') stands out as a premium choice for creating magnificent shade in your landscape. This cultivar is celebrated for its dense, symmetrical oval crown and deeply lobed leaves that transition to breathtaking shades of gold, orange, and red in autumn—often earlier and more consistently than other Sugar Maple varieties. 'Legacy' is notably vigorous, exhibiting a faster growth rate and greater resistance to common urban stresses compared to other Sugar Maples. Its strong central leader and well-spaced branching make it an ideal specimen tree for larger residential properties, parks, or as a stately street tree. Its distinctive bark adds winter interest, while its dense canopy provides excellent summer cooling. At A Cut Above, we select only the finest Legacy Sugar Maples, ensuring you receive a healthy, well-established specimen ready to thrive in your landscape for generations. This tree promises to be a stunning centerpiece, offering year-round beauty and a truly enriching addition to your outdoor space.

Installation timing

When we're in season, outside of the winter months, our goal is to get your plants installed within about two weeks. That window gives us enough time to secure your plants from our supplier and find a spot on the schedule. Throughout the process we stay in touch through notifications and your existing client portal on the main A Cut Above website, which is separate from this landscaping plants shop.

Care & maintenance

Prefers well-drained, slightly acidic to neutral soil. Water regularly, especially during dry periods, until established. Requires minimal pruning, primarily for structural integrity and to remove dead or damaged branches. Fertilize in spring with a balanced slow-release fertilizer if soil nutrients are lacking.

Watering suggestions

Proper watering is the single most important factor in your plant's survival after installation. Newly installed plants have a limited root system and rely on you for consistent moisture while they establish.

• First 2 weeks: Water deeply every day (or every other day in cooler, wet weather), soaking the root ball and surrounding soil.
• Weeks 3–12: Water deeply 2–3 times per week, adjusting for rain, heat, and soil drainage.
• After establishment: Water deeply about once a week during the growing season, and more often in extreme heat or drought.
• How to check: Stick a finger 2–3 inches into the soil near the roots — if it's dry, it's time to water. Deep, less-frequent watering encourages strong roots; shallow daily sprinkles do not.
• Avoid: Overwatering (soggy, waterlogged soil) is just as harmful as underwatering and can drown roots.

Watering needs vary by plant, season, soil, and exposure. Because proper watering is the customer's responsibility after installation, please make sure you understand and can follow these suggestions before ordering.

Good to know: plants and trees purchased from and installed by A Cut Above include a one-year limited warranty from the date of installation. Because plant survival depends heavily on proper watering and care after installation, losses caused by improper care, neglect, animal or chemical damage, or extreme weather are not covered, and we must be given the chance to inspect a struggling plant before it's removed or replaced. Coverage is one replacement per plant. Read our warranty info.