sugar maple leaves The leaves of a sugar maple ( Acer saccharum ) turning red in autumn. Caring for Sugar Maple Trees each year. A sugar maple tree growing in deep, well-drained soil is happiest. Sugar maple. Once you have finished planting sugar maple trees, they will grow at a slow to medium rate. sugar maple The trunk and autumn leaves of a large sugar maple ( Acer saccharum ) in Vermont. The soil should be acidic to slightly alkaline. Sugar maple is the primary source for maple sugar and syrup. © Enn Li Photography—Moment/Getty Images. Expect your trees to grow from one foot to two feet (30-61 cm.) © Steffen Foerster/Shutterstock.com. Sugar maple is a deciduous tree that can grow to a height of 50 to 130 feet. It is native to the US, and found throughout the eastern states.