christie, nothing beat the sugar/hard maples, but they are very slow growing and I have been told you will be planting it for your grandchildren to enjoy (to late for me even for that!).

I planted October Glory in 2004 and it colors very late, but is a very nice color. I have looked and can't find a picture of it and I know I have one. It hasn't begun to color yet. This isn't going to be a great year for color here. Last year my pin oak was a beautiful reddish brown,
this year, it is just brown. My dogwoods don't look very good either.

I just found an old thread back in 03 and 04 where Lucky P said nothing was prettier than a scarlet oak, better than hard maple. I think I will look for one. Oaks grow well here.

Sugar maples are colorful. Why don't you dig up seedlings at your parents? If the seedlings still have leaves choose some with bright leaves. Even the small maples are pretty. You don't have to wait twenty years for a pretty tree.

This was a big tree to begin with but it shows that a maple can be pretty at a small size.

Here is a link that might be useful: maple tree

The sugar maples are the best with their brilliant colors! And they last the longest. They do grow a little slower but if you are going to plant a maple, they are the best choice.

I have a Crimson King Norway maple that is just dark red turning to brown, not really a good fall color.

"Celebration" is a variety of red maple/silver maple cross that I love and is pink, orange and yellow, but I haven't seen that one sold for a while.

Most red maples turn dark or bright red, depending on the variety, of which there are many, but they do so early in the season and "dump" all their leaves at once. Maples are so variable, some "red" maples just don't have great color. If you are going to buy one, check them out first in the fall for color and buy one then. Fall is the best time for planting them, anyway.

Silver maples, or soft maples, grow fast, and are usually just yellow in the fall tho I have seen some orangey ones. They are called silver maples because the backs of the leaves are silvery color.

Of course, growing conditions and seasonal weather have a lot to do with fall color. Not every year is going to be the same.

Most of the ones you see growing wild in the woods are red or silver maples.

christie, I was visiting the Missouri Botanical Gardens website this morning and they list a sugar maple, variety
'Fall Fiesta' as being much faster growing than other sugar maples with great fall color, It might be worth checking with Wickman's to see if they might have it. I doubt you would find it anyplace but a nursery.

There is a large nursery east on highway 60, that has a lot of trees. We may take a drive out there this week and see what they have. I can't remember the name of the place. I always think their stock looks good from the highway.

Stumbled upon this thread while looking for something else. Just wanted to add for the OP on Sugar Maples. We have the cultivar Bailsta a.k.a. Fall Fiesta planted for three years now. It has grown 2' each of the last two years. It added 1/2" caliper last year, and 2/3" caliper this year (so I hope it grows a little better than 2" next spring). So far it is more of an upright oval than real spreading, and its now about 12.5' tall. Fall color is improving each year, we just need a good color year. However it is not as persistant as some others (i.e. our Commemoration). You should be able to find this cultivar, as it seems to be displacing many others probable due to great color in good color years, and faster growth, with good heat tolerance. Below I direct linked to a picture from the Univ of Arkasnas Cooperative Extension service tree trails. The picture is of one for their Fall Fiesta's they planted in 2002. the picture was taken in 2006, and as you can see it VERY nice.

Also I would like to add that I ran across a study earlier in the year where various cultivars of sugar maple were trailed in North Alabama. In that trail Bonfire also grew on average almost 2' per year.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1121078}}

Lost my reply that I tried to post. : (
Thanks for the links.
Hope everyone has had a chance to drive around and enjoy the scenery. We've had some beautiful fall colors in the Ozarks this year.