Acer ginnala
Acer ginnala | |
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Amur maple foliage | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Sapindales |
Family: | Sapindaceae |
Genus: | Acer |
Section: | Acer sect. Ginnala |
Species: | A. ginnala
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Binomial name | |
Acer ginnala Maxim. | |
Acer ginnala, the Amur maple, is a plant species with woody stems native to northeastern
Description
Acer ginnala is a deciduous spreading shrub or small tree growing to 3–10 m (9.8–32.8 ft) tall, with a short trunk up to 20–40 cm (8–16 in) diameter and slender branches. The bark is thin, dull grey-brown, and smooth at first but becoming shallowly fissured on old plants. The leaves are opposite and simple, 4–10 cm (1+1⁄2–4 in) long and 3–6 cm (1+1⁄4–2+1⁄4 in) wide, deeply palmately lobed with three or five lobes, of which two small basal lobes (sometimes absent) and three larger apical lobes; the lobes are coarsely and irregularly toothed, and the upper leaf surface glossy. The leaves turn brilliant orange to red in autumn, and are on slender, often pink-tinged, petioles 3–5 cm (1+1⁄4–2 in) long. The flowers are yellow-green, 5–8 mm (0.20–0.31 in) diameter, produced in spreading panicles in spring as the leaves open. The fruit is a paired reddish samara, 8–10 mm (0.31–0.39 in) long with a 1.5–2 cm (5⁄8–3⁄4 in) wing, maturing in late summer to early autumn.[1]
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Mature tree
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Trunk
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Flowers
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Fruit
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Leaves and fruit
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Autumn leaf colour
Taxonomy
Amur maple is closely related to Acer tataricum (Tatar maple), and some botanists treat it as a subspecies A. tataricum subsp. ginnala (Maxim.) Wesm.[2] The glossy, deeply lobed leaves of A. ginnala distinguish it from A. tataricum, which has matt, unlobed or only shallowly lobed leaves.[1]
Cultivation and uses
Acer ginnala is grown as an
In the UK it has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[4]
It is also valued in Japan and elsewhere as a species suitable for bonsai.
It is a nonnative invasive species in parts of northern North America.[5]
Cultivars
Due to its vigour and fall colours of yellows and bright reds, the size being a small tree of 6 metres (20 feet) wide by 6 m tall on average, it suits many for smaller landscapes and for planting under power lines. Cultivars have emerged for those wanting these attributes.
- Flame (Fiery red autumn foliage, very strong vigour)
References
- ^ ISBN 0-00-220013-9..
- ^ "Acer tataricum subsp. ginnala". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture.
- ^ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Acer ginnala". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team.
- ^ "Acer tataricum subsp. ginnala". rhs.org.uk.
- ^ Randall, John; Marinelli, Janet. The Encyclopedia of Intrusive Plants. Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
- Xu, Tingzhi; Chen, Yousheng; de Jong, Piet C.; Oterdoom, Herman John; Chang, Chin-Sung. "Acer tataricum subsp. ginnala". Flora of China. Vol. 11 – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
External links
- Data related to Acer ginnala at Wikispecies
- "Acer ginnala". Plants for a Future.
- Winter ID pictures