Some older maple varieties can be problematic, however, some new varieties look very promising. By far, the silver maple is the most common maple found in the urban landscape because it grows quickly. This tree performs poorly in heavy alkaline clay soils because it is often plagued by iron chlorosis. Silver maples will grow well in loamy soil with neutral pH or a sandy soil.
Silver maples are soft wooded and break easily in storms.
They become susceptible to rot as they age which may cause the tree to fall apart. The following maples are more adaptable to Colorado. Norway maples are hard wooded and less susceptible to storm damage. The leaves are very dark green in color. The tree has a rounded crown which casts a dense shade.