Treepedia: Acer griseum : Bonsai, maple tree, red

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Plantae

(unranked): Angiosperms

(unranked): Eudicots

(unranked): Rosids

Order: Sapindales

Family: Sapindaceae

Genus: Acer

Species: A. griseum

Hardness Zone : 4 to 8

Botanical Name: Acer griseumAY-sir GRIS-ee-um

Common Name: Paperbark maple

Genus: Acer

This slow-growing understory tree has highly ornamental, peeling orange-cinnamon bark. Its dark green, three-lobed leaves turn a brilliant orange-red in autumn.

Noteworthy characteristics: One of the best small ornamental trees, paperbark maple has small yellow flowers in spring, great fall foliage color, picturesque peeling park, and a stately habit.

Care: Best in moist, well-drained soil in sun to part shade.

Propagation: Sow fresh seeds in a container, or graft cuttings in late winter.

Problems: Aphids, scale and caterpillars. Mites can cause leaf spot gall. Fungal leaf spots and root rots are common.

Mobot.org Says
Common Name: paperbark maple
Zone: 4 to 8
Plant Type: Tree
Family: Sapindaceae
Missouri Native: No
Native Range: Central China
Height: 20 to 30 feet
Spread: 15 to 25 feet
Bloom Time: April
Bloom Color: Green
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low

General Culture:
Easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade.
Noteworthy Characteristics:
This small, deciduous, oval to oval-rounded paperbark maple tree is noted for its peeling, cinnamon to reddish brown bark. Trifoliate leaves are dark green, but turn red in the fall. Seed is a two winged samara.
No serious disease or pest problems. Tree is a slow grower (6 inches - 12 inches per year). Prefers moist, well-drained soil, but does well in clay soils.
Uses:
Excellent small tree for small properties. Appropriate as an understory tree in a woodland garden or as a specimen in many locations around the home.

Fine Gardening

Overview

Height 15 ft. to 30 ft.

Spread 15 ft. to 30 ft.

Growth Pace Slow Grower

Light Full Sun to Part Shade

Moisture Medium Moisture

Characteristics Interesting Bark; Showy Fall Foliage

Bloom Time Early Spring; Spring

Flower Color Yellow Flower

Uses Specimen Plant/ Focal Point

Style Woodland Garden

Seasonal Interest Winter Interest, Spring Interest, Summer Interest, Fall Interest

Type Trees

Wikipedia

Acer griseum (Paperbark Maple; simplified Chinese: 血皮枫; traditional Chinese: 血皮楓; pinyin: xuè pí fēng) is a species of maple native to central China, in the provinces of Gansu, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Sichuan, at altitudes of 1,500–2,000 m.

It is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree, reaching 6-9 m (20-30 ft) tall, 5-6 m (15-25 ft) wide, with a trunk up to 70 cm (2 ft) diameter. The bark is smooth, shiny orange-red, peeling in thin, papery layers; it may become fissured in old trees. The shoots are densely downy at first, this wearing off by the second or third year and the bark exfoliating by the third or fourth year. The leaves are compound, with a 2–4 cm petiole with three leaflets, each 3-10 cm long and 2-6 cm broad, dark green above, bright glaucous blue-green beneath, with several blunt teeth on the margins. The flowers are androdioecious, produced in small corymbs in spring, the fruit being a paired samara with two winged seeds about 1 cm long with a 3 cm wing.

Cultivation And uses

Paperbark Maple is widely grown as an ornamental plant in temperate regions. It is admired for its decorative exfoliating bark, translucent pieces of which often stay attached to the branches until worn away. It also has spectacular autumn foliage which can include red, orange and pink tones.

It was introduced to cultivation in Europe in 1901 by Ernest Henry Wilson for the Veitch Nurseries, and to North America shortly after.

Recent attempts have been made to acquire new seed stock from wild populations in China because it is believed that the current gene pool of cultivated specimens is very small. Propagation of Acer griseum is somewhat difficult as seeds have the same parthenocarpic tendencies as those of Acer maximowiczianum.

hort.uconn.edu

Habitat

native to China
zone 4

Habit and Form

to 30' tall, small tree
deciduous
shape is oval, upright or irregular
short main trunk with several secondary, more or less upright scaffold trunks
texture is fine to medium
slow growing

Summer Foliage

opposite, trifoliate leaves 3" to 5" long
soft, blue-green color, almost frosty or white on underside

Autumn Foliage

can be a pronounced red, but frequently is green with red overtones on exposed leaf surfaces
last trifoliate maple to color

Flowers

green, inconspicuous

Fruit

samaras, 1.5" to 2" long, pubescent nutlet

Bark

exfoliating cinnamon-brown bark, peeling in thin sheets and also polished smooth in places
very attractive bark, a strong ornamental feature

Culture

relatively pest free
prefers a moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil
full sun or partial shade

Landscape Uses

specimen
possibly in mini-groves
edge of woods
good choice for small yards

Liabilities

may be somewhat expensive
once rare and pricey, but becoming readily available

ID Features

trifoliate leaves and exfoliating cinnamon-brown bark
buds sharply pointed and dark purplish-brown

Propagation

by seed, but only around 5% of the samaras are viable
has been grafted on Acer saccharum with some success
cuttings from hedged, seedling (juvenile) plants can be rooted

Cultivars/Varieties

Hybrids between A. nikoense and A. griseum have been cultivated. Dr. Sid Waxman, University of Connecticut, has selected such a hybrid and named it'Cinnamon Flake'. This attractive plant features bark that flakes in smaller strips than the species. The stem surface often appears pleated like corduroy.

'Ginzam' (Gingerbread™) - A hybrid of A. griseum and A. nikoense that features fine bark and a faster growth rate than the species, maturing at 30' tall. A tree with these traits may hold great promise in the future.