Gina, I live in Manhattan Beach,minutes from the ocean and facing south.
I thought I was in zone 11 or so because I don't believe it ever gets below 40 even in winter. I have a red Japanese Maple and a white/green multi color. They look pathetic. However, I went on a home tour to Hermosa beach once and they had red maples but they were in pots. If you insist on growing these maples (I did) at least don't put them by the front door.
A purpleleaf plum will give you the same color, don't forget it goes dormant in the winter. I have lovely magnolias that bloom like crazy and are green all year around. Kumquats look great by the front door. I have lemons, which really produce. I have a fig out front that goes dormant but looks good and produces lots of figs.
Drive around your neighborhood and see what looks good on the same side of the street; tree azaleas are doing well here.

Thanks for the tips Marge. I guess I'll forget about Maples for now. I will check Armstrong's for the dwarf plum - they are the most expensive around though. Landscaper also suggested Camellia Sasanqua, so I will try to find those as well as Kumquats. I have another spot in front I want a Meyer lemon in - I love lemon trees too.

I suspect that our soil near the beach is too alkaline. We have used so much soil amendments, gromulch, acidic soil mix but a few things don't grow well. Any camellia would look great--get the doubles if you can. Did you know Costco sells plants that are good size and inexpensive, but they sell when the plant is in bloom. Camellia would be sold around Jan-Feb, then you can see what the flower looks like. I have some lovely camellias and also roses out front. We can grow a lot in our climate--orchids, etc., but not everything.

The bulk of coastal SoCal is USDA zone 10......zone 11 is reserved for more tropical areas like Hawaii and parts of Mexico. This rating system is based on average minimum winter temperatures, so at some point, temps below 40F in your area have been recorded.

Japanese maples can be grown in SoCal, especially the coastal regions. My sister in Dana Point (across the street from the beach) has several lovely specimens. There is a valid concern about soil conditions and irrigation water which tends also to be alkaline. If these factors can be accommodated and the tree is properly sited (early morning sun only - the rest of the time in shade) it should do perfectly well. In fact, if you can grow camellias successfully, you should also be able to grow Japanese maples, as they share similar growing requirements -- well-draining acidic soils, even moisture and afternoon shade.

It's a matter of personal taste, but the plum is a very dull, ordinary plant and outside of a limited bloom season, has little to say for itself. If the maple will not work in that spot but you like that dark purple coloring, consider one of the Chinese fringe flowers, Loropetalum chinenis, that has that foliar attribute. They are evergreen and offer interesting hot pink flowers as well.

Thank you, the Loropetalum looks interesting.

I recommend you grow the more water wise American red maple, or I guess the nice autumn blaze red maple.

If GUY is talking about Acer rubum one of the common names for that is swamp maple. Due to that being a characteristic habitat in the wild. In my part of the summer dry Pacific Slope we all get to look at numbers of wilted and stunted, un-watered red maples in parking lots etc. every summer.

Part of the appeal of Freeman maple selections like Autumn Blaze ('Jeffersred') is the drought resistance imparted by the silver maple half of their hybrid parentage.

Both red and Freeman maples produce tall trees over 60 ft high. With mat-like root systems that tend to kill off under-plantings in time.

if you dont want shallow roots, just dont water too much. these plants do well in the southern tip of florida, so the only reason you see "stunted" red maple si because of the lack of care. lazy californians only choose boring palms, and ugly evergreens, which dont add much beauty. Just a little more maintenance and you will have a good red maple, like i do.

Theodore Payne can sell tree species that grow in California. A coast oak for example is drought tolerant, beneficial to local birds, and wildlife and it is native to western North America. Another beautiful trees that require more water are dogwoods and western red bud.

If you’re looking for a small- to medium-sized red-leaved tree for Southern California — especially near the coast with alkaline soil and a sunny spot — I recommend considering Euphorbia cotinifolia, also known as the Caribbean Copper Plant.

Although it belongs to the Euphorbia family and is technically a succulent, it’s not quite as tough as other succulents. That said, it still performs far better than more delicate trees like the Japanese Maple in Southern California’s heat or coastal conditions.

Keep in mind that it can be deciduous in cooler winters, depending on your local climate. But when in leaf, it provides a striking splash of coppery-red color that stands out beautifully in the landscape.

— Ash

Landscape Desiner & Builder, Torrance, CA

Looking back, its definitely not the right choice. also HOA regulations are strict these days in most new developments in CA with a rigid but sensible list of species you are allowed to plant. Best to just plant natives and deploy some smart irrigation techniques if you really want to baby a non native tree like acer rubrum