Acer griseum

PAPERBARK MAPLE
Family: Aceraceae
Pronounced: AY-ser GRISS-ee-um

 

Quick Jumps

Growing Guide
Rainy Side Notes

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GROWING GUIDE

Origin:
Central China.
Plant Group:
Trees.
Hardiness:
Sunset zones: 2-9, 14-21.
USDA zones: 4-8.
Heat zones: 8-1.
Mature size:
Height: 25 feet (7.5 m).
Width: 20 feet (6 m).
Leaf attributes:
Bluish-green, 3-lobed palmate leaves, undersides are gray, foliage turns red in fall.
Light:
Full sun.
Soil:
Moist, well-drained soil, although this maple tolerates clay soils.
Feeding:
Not necessary.
Propagation Methods:
The seed of this maple is notoriously difficult to propagate, as the seed viability is usually 1-8% viable. Even if the seed germinates, the root has a difficult time getting through the seed wall.
Root cuttings from seedlings are the easiest way to cultivate this maple.
Pruning Methods:
Prune to shape in late fall to winter.
Pests and Diseases:
No serious pests or diseases.

 

Rainy Side Notes

The Acer, the griseum

My eyes remain
affixed to the bare essence
I want to peel it more.
Down to total nakedness.

Nothing hides in rebirth.

My eyes adjust
My words won't fit the awe.
Appealing moment
back to another fresh start.

Nothing hides in rebirth.

 

Picture a serene winter day; a leafless, bare maple tree stands in front of the waning sunlight in the garden, its peeling bark shimmering, almost ethereal in the sun. This is Acer griseum, the paperbark maple, a tree that exudes a unique beauty, making it a captivating addition to any garden in any season.

The trifoliate leaf is a handsome feature of this maple. The foliage turns bronze and red in autumn, following its summer clothes of bluish-green leaves with a complementary gray underneath. Its epithet, griseum, means gray, so named after the hue of the lower leaf surface. However, the exfoliating, cinnamon-brown bark captivates, making it the maple's most outstanding feature.

The upright spreading tree with a rounded crown is slow-growing but eventually reaches 30 feet tall in about 50 years, a testament to its enduring and inspiring beauty. There are variations in how the bark exfoliates, resulting in some trunks possessing more visual charm. Even young tree trunks peel their bark. Select your tree in person and choose the most appealing one where possible.

Site this specimen tree where you can appreciate the bark year-round. Do not plant within 15 feet of power lines. To extend fall color in the garden, use this maple because it is one of the last to turn color.

Debbie Teashon