Esk Sunset melliferous trees

This small sycamore maple tree has perhaps the most exotic leaf colours of any maple, and offers interest from spring right through to autumn.

The new leaves emerge orange-green to yellow-green in spring with bronze tints, but change very quickly to a creamy-beige with dark green marbling. By the summer the leaves become a creamy-white colour, accented with green speckles and splashed with pink shades, and solid pink / purple undersides.

Greenish-yellow flowers appear in April - May but have little ornamental value - however they produce large quantities of pollen and nectar and are very popular with bees.

We sometimes offer "top-worked" forms of this variety. This gives a "mop head" appearance which accentuates the dense leafy canopy of the tree. Grown in this way the tree should not exceed 3m or so in the longer term.

Esk Sunset melliferous trees for sale

Pot-grown

All our pot-grown trees are grown for us to our specification by the Frank P Matthews nursery.

• PG12-year top-worked 12L pot-grown tree, £76.00
  Small tree (1.5m-2.5m after 10 years)
  (120cm)

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Need help?

Ask our fruit tree experts on 01759 392007 or fill in our contact form.

Tree specification

Photos of trees as supplied | Tree sizes and forms

Next deliveries

Delivery from week commencing 2nd February 2026 onwards.

Delivery charges

Delivery for a single tree starts at £9.95, it is calculated based on your postcode.

Growing and Training

Esk Sunset is easy to grow and is an excellent choice for exposed sites, including coastal situations, where it should survive where others may not. However it does best if planted in full sun in a sheltered location.

It can be hard-pruned at any time to control size and shape, but the best time to prune is over the summer. It remains a small tree, much less vigorous than other forms of this species.

History

Esk Sunset belongs to the maple species Acer pseudoplatanus, commonly known as Sycamores.

It is named after the Esk Valley, near the town of Napier on the North island of New Zealand, where it was discovered. It was introduced by nurseryman John Wills, along with a sister variety, Esk Flamingo.

In the UK and USA this variety is widely known as Eskimo Sunset, perhaps after the pink-white leaf colours, or simply a mistake when trees were first imported from New Zealand.

British-grown trees

Unlike many garden centres and online retailers, the vast majority of our fruit trees are grown in the UK. Find out more.

All our trees are certified under the Plant Healthy scheme, supervised by the Plant Health Alliance. Other stakeholders include Defra and the RHS. Find out more.

Guaranteed fruit trees

When you buy your fruit tree from Orange Pippin Fruit Trees we guarantee it for the first season in your garden while it gets established. If it doesn't grow successfully, we'll either replace it the following season or offer a refund, subject to some conditions. Find out more.