You should be OK with "fall planting" of red maple, especially if the tree was spring dug or is in a container. The fall planting "risk" or "hazard" lists compiled by growers in our region usually refer to fall transplanting (i.e. trees that are dug in the fall) rather than "fall planting" in general. Some of those lists do include red maple, and I have indeed seen issues a couple times over the years with fall transplanted red maples, but most of the time we've had good survival on the fall dug rubrums. Some of the more marginally hardy maples I'd avoid transplanting in the fall. There are other factors that enter the equation as well, like the timing of digging for different species, how the trees are grown/cultivated, texture of the soil, etc. IME you're better off obtaining trees from the established growers with plenty of experience.

It is a bare root shipment, so yes a transplant.

I'd be very leery about any bare root maples available for fall planting. Unless it was very late fall and from a very reputable, local source.

Gardengal, it is a reputable grower. Is the issue simply fall bare root being a risk with maples in your experience?

since the seller is reputable ... one would expect him to replace it in spring.. if it doesnt bud out ... have you discussed such with him??? .. im thinking you have done business with them before ...???

there is another level with peeps who live in ground freeze areas ... obviously winter planting is not an option ... and fall planting of dormant trees with a month or two to settle in and start pumping water .. followed by ground freeze .. aka suspended animation ... works very well ... just make sure.. they go into winter properly watered... once we had a drought in november.. in my sand.. and i had a lot of conifer damage in the spring ... anyway.. enough on that.. because it dont think it fits the current fact scenario ...

ken

"Is the issue simply fall bare root being a risk with maples in your experience?"

Bare root planting of any woody is a risk in fall.....or at any time of year other than when the tree is fully dormant. Root systems are very vulnerable to disturbance as well as sensitive to any exposure so bare rooting a tree when still in active growth and exposing the root system to drying air and warm/hot late summer/early fall temperatures is just not a very desirable situation. The digging, storing and transporting of any bare root material outside of full dormancy is just fraught with risk, experienced grower or not.

It is one thing to bare root a small tree or sapling at home immediately prior to planting and quite another to order a tree already bare rooted at whatever time in the past and shipped to any distance.

I would hope there is a very strong seller warranty in place.......you may very well need it.