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Plant Guide

Acer ginnala Maxim.
Amur maple
ACGI

Summary

Duration

Perennial

Growth Habit

Tree, Shrub

U.S. Nativity

Introduced to U.S.

Federal T/E Status

 

National Wetland Indicator

 

 

Morphology/Physiology

Active Growth Period

Spring and Summer

After Harvest Regrowth Rate

 

Bloat

 

C:N Ratio

High

Coppice Potential

No

Fall Conspicuous

Yes

Fire Resistant

No

Flower Color

Yellow

Flower Conspicuous

No

Foliage Color

Green

Foliage Porosity Summer

Dense

Foliage Porosity Winter

Moderate

Foliage Texture

Medium

Fruit/Seed Color

Brown

Fruit/Seed Conspicuous

No

Growth Form

Multiple Stem

Growth Rate

Rapid

Height at 20 Years, Maximum (feet)

15

Height, Mature (feet)

20

Known Allelopath

No

Leaf Retention

No

Lifespan

Moderate

Low Growing Grass

No

Nitrogen Fixation

 

Resprout Ability

Yes

Shape and Orientation

Rounded

Toxicity

None

 

Growth Requirements

Adapted to Coarse Textured Soils

Yes

Adapted to Fine Textured Soils

No

Adapted to Medium Textured Soils

Yes

Anaerobic Tolerance

None

CaCO3 Tolerance

Medium

Cold Stratification Required

Yes

Drought Tolerance

Low

Fertility Requirement

Medium

Fire Tolerance

High

Frost Free Days, Minimum

130

Hedge Tolerance

Medium

Moisture Use

Medium

pH, Minimum

6.1

pH, Maximum

7.5

Planting Density per Acre, Minimum

170

Planting Density per Acre, Maximum

700

Precipitation, Minimum

30

Precipitation, Maximum

60

Root Depth, Minimum (inches)

24

Salinity Tolerance

None

Shade Tolerance

Intermediate

Temperature, Minimum (°F)

-38

 

Reproduction

Bloom Period

Mid Spring

Commercial Availability

Routinely Available

Fruit/Seed Abundance

High

Fruit/Seed Period Begin

Summer

Fruit/Seed Period End

Fall

Fruit/Seed Persistence

No

Propagated by Bare Root

Yes

Propagated by Bulb

No

Propagated by Container

Yes

Propagated by Corm

No

Propagated by Cuttings

No

Propagated by Seed

Yes

Propagated by Sod

No

Propagated by Sprigs

No

Propagated by Tubers

No

Seed per Pound

15200

Seed Spread Rate

Slow

Seedling Vigor

Low

Small Grain

No

Vegetative Spread Rate

None

 

Suitability/Use

Berry/Nut/Seed Product

No

Christmas Tree Product

No

Fodder Product

No

Fuelwood Product

Medium

Lumber Product

No

Naval Store Product

No

Nursery Stock Product

Yes

Palatable Browse Animal

Low

Palatable Graze Animal

Low

Palatable Human

No

Post Product

No

Protein Potential

 

Pulpwood Product

No

Veneer Product

No

 

Acer ginnala Maxim.
Amur maple
ACGI
Cultivar: Flame

Summary

Duration

Perennial

Growth Habit

Tree, Shrub

U.S. Nativity

Introduced to U.S.

Federal T/E Status

 

National Wetland Indicator

 

 

Morphology/Physiology

Active Growth Period

Spring and Summer

After Harvest Regrowth Rate

 

Bloat

 

C:N Ratio

High

Coppice Potential

No

Fall Conspicuous

Yes

Fire Resistant

No

Flower Color

Yellow

Flower Conspicuous

No

Foliage Color

Green

Foliage Porosity Summer

Dense

Foliage Porosity Winter

Moderate

Foliage Texture

Medium

Fruit/Seed Color

Brown

Fruit/Seed Conspicuous

No

Growth Form

Multiple Stem

Growth Rate

Rapid

Height at 20 Years, Maximum (feet)

15

Height, Mature (feet)

20

Known Allelopath

No

Leaf Retention

No

Lifespan

Moderate

Low Growing Grass

No

Nitrogen Fixation

 

Resprout Ability

Yes

Shape and Orientation

Rounded

Toxicity

None

 

Growth Requirements

Adapted to Coarse Textured Soils

Yes

Adapted to Fine Textured Soils

No

Adapted to Medium Textured Soils

Yes

Anaerobic Tolerance

None

CaCO3 Tolerance

Low

Cold Stratification Required

Yes

Drought Tolerance

Low

Fertility Requirement

Medium

Fire Tolerance

High

Frost Free Days, Minimum

120

Hedge Tolerance

Medium

Moisture Use

Medium

pH, Minimum

6.1

pH, Maximum

7.5

Planting Density per Acre, Minimum

170

Planting Density per Acre, Maximum

700

Precipitation, Minimum

30

Precipitation, Maximum

60

Root Depth, Minimum (inches)

24

Salinity Tolerance

None

Shade Tolerance

Intermediate

Temperature, Minimum (°F)

-28

 

Reproduction

Bloom Period

Mid Spring

Commercial Availability

Routinely Available

Fruit/Seed Abundance

High

Fruit/Seed Period Begin

Summer

Fruit/Seed Period End

Fall

Fruit/Seed Persistence

No

Propagated by Bare Root

Yes

Propagated by Bulb

No

Propagated by Container

Yes

Propagated by Corm

No

Propagated by Cuttings

No

Propagated by Seed

Yes

Propagated by Sod

No

Propagated by Sprigs

No

Propagated by Tubers

No

Seed per Pound

15200

Seed Spread Rate

Slow

Seedling Vigor

Low

Small Grain

No

Vegetative Spread Rate

None

 

Suitability/Use

Berry/Nut/Seed Product

No

Christmas Tree Product

No

Fodder Product

No

Fuelwood Product

Medium

Lumber Product

No

Naval Store Product

No

Nursery Stock Product

Yes

Palatable Browse Animal

Low

Palatable Graze Animal

Low

Palatable Human

No

Post Product

No

Protein Potential

 

Pulpwood Product

No

Veneer Product

No

 

Kingdom  Plantae -- Plants

Subkingdom  Tracheobionta -- Vascular plants

Superdivision  Spermatophyta -- Seed plants

Division  Magnoliophyta -- Flowering plants

Class  Magnoliopsida -- Dicotyledons

Subclass  Rosidae

Order  Sapindales

Family  Aceraceae -- Maple family

Genus  Acer L. -- maple P

Species  Acer ginnala Maxim. -- Amur maple P

 

Alternative Name

Siberian maple

 

Uses

Ethnobotanic: The young leaves were used as a tea substitute (Kunkel 1984).  Black, blue, and brown dyes were obtained and dried from the leaves.

 

Landscaping & Wildlife: The main ornamental value of Amur maple is its red fall color and fruit.  This is an excellent, low growing tree for small yards.  It is sometimes used for hedges or screens.  It has a fair rating for wildlife.

 

Agroforestry: Acer ginnala is used in tree strips for windbreaks.  They are planted and managed to protect livestock, enhance production, and control soil erosion.  Windbreaks can help communities with harsh winter conditions better handle the impact of winter storms and reduce home heating costs during the winter months.

 

Status

Introduced into the U.S.  Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status, such as, state noxious status and wetland indicator values.

 

Description

General: Maple family (Aceraceae).  Amur maple is an introduced, deciduous large shrub or small tree.  It can be grown as a multistemmed clump or trained into a small tree with a single trunk.  It can also be sheared into a hedge.  The leaves are simple, opposite; eight to ten centimeters long, and coarsely toothed.  The fragrant, creamy whit flowers appear with the new foliage in April and May (Dirr 1997).  The fruit samaras are 0.75 to 1 inch long, held in small panicles and are red to brown in color.  The bark is smooth and gray on young branches and grayish brown on older branches.

 

Distribution: Amur maple is native to Manchuria, north China and Japan and is cultivated in gardens and parks (McMinn & Maino 1951).  For current distribution, please consult the Plant profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web site.

 

Adaptation

Acer ginnala grows best in moist well-drained soil, but can tolerate a wide variety of soils, poor soil fertility, and are pH adaptable.  This species displays excellent tolerance to dry and alkaline soils (Dirr 1997).  It is reasonably drought tolerant.  It will tolerate shade, but develops a better fall color if grown in full sun.  Acer ginnala grows best in colder climates with cool summers.  It can be grown in hotter areas if care is taken to prevent dehydration.

 

Establishment

Propagation from Seed: Pre-soak the stored seed for twenty-four hours and then stratify for one to four months at 1-8ºC.  Seeds can be harvested when they are fully developed but before they have dried and produced any germination inhibitors.  Sow immediately in a seedbed or open frame.  Spring sown seeds may not germinate for another year.  Transfer to a nursery bed in the first spring (Heuser 1997).  If the seeds are harvested too soon they will produce very weak plants or no plants at all (McMillan 1985).

 

Propagation from Cuttings: Cuttings of young shoots should be done in June or July.  The cuttings should consist of two to three pairs of leaves and one pair of buds on the base.  Place cuttings in plastic, bag and seal to prevent moisture loss.  They must not be allowed to wilt.  Trim the cuttings below the lowest node to remove the lower leaves leaving three or four at the tip.  A rooting hormone may be applied to improve rooting before planting.  Insert the cuttings in the rooting medium up to half their length so the leaves don’t touch each other.  The cuttings should root in two to three weeks, after which they can be potted (Heuser1997).

 

Management

Containerized trees should not be planted in their permanent position until they are twenty centimeters or taller.  Amur maple should be pruned in the winter or early spring to help develop and maintain a good single trunk tree form.  Amur maple is usually pest free; however, sometimes, spraying is necessary to controls aphids.

 

Cultivars, Improved and Selected Materials (and area of origin)

‘Red Fruit’, ‘Bailey Compact’, ‘Flame’, ‘Compactum’ and ‘Durand Dwarf’ are cultivars of Acer ginnala.  ‘Red Fruit’ is a collective term for types whose fruit color is brilliant red (Dirr 1990).  ‘Bailey Compact’ has a compact shrubby form, growing between eight to twelve inches high.  ‘Flame’ is a dense shrub or small tree with red fruits and fiery red fall color (Dirr 1990).  ‘Compactum’ is dense and compact and shows vigorous growth reaching between five to six inches.  ‘Durand Dwarf’ is a shrubby type, with branches more dense than ‘Compactum’, will grow three to five inches high.

 

Consult your local nurseries to choose the right cultivar for your specific landscape.

 

References

Barnes, B.V. & W.H. Wagner, Jr. 1981.  Michigan trees.  The University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

 

Dirr, M.A. 1997  Dirr’s hardy trees and shrubs: an illustrated encyclopedia.  Timber Press, Portland, Oregon.

 

Dirr, M.A. 1990.  Manual of woody landscape plants: their identification, ornamental characteristics, culture, propagation, and uses.  4th ed.  Stipes Publishing Co., Champaigne, Illinois.

 

Dirr, M.A. & C.W. Heuser, Jr. 1987.  The reference manual of woody plant propagation: from seed to tissue culture.  Varsity Press, Athens, Georgia.

 

Farrar, J.L. 1995.  Trees of the Northern United States and Canada.  Iowa State University Press, Ames, Iowa.

 

Heuser, C.W. 1997.  The complete book of plant propagation.  The Taunton Press, Newtown, Connecticut.

 

McMillan, B.P. 1985.  Hardy woody plants of North America.  Grower Books.

 

McMinn, H.E. 1951. An illustrated manual of California shrubs. University of California Press, Berkeley & Los Angeles, California.

 

Kunkel, G. 1984.  Plants for human consumption.  Koeltz Scientific Books.

 

Rosendahl, C.O. 1955.  Trees & shrubs of the upper Midwest.  University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

 

Taylor, N. 1965.  The guide to garden shrubs and trees.  Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts.

 

USDA, NRCS 2000.  Conservation trees and shrubs for Montana.  Custer County Soil Conservation District.  Accessed: 10jan02.

<https://www.mt.nrcs.usda.gov/pas/forestry/maple.html>

 

Wyman, D. 1965.  Trees for American gardens.  The MacMillan Company, New York, New York  .

 

Prepared By

Jammie Favorite, formerly USDA, NRCS, National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

 

Species Coordinator

Lincoln M. Moore

USDA, NRCS, National Plant Data Center

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

 

Edited: 10jan02 jsp; 14feb03 ahv; 24may06jsp

 

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS Web site<https://plants.usda.gov> or the Plant Materials Program Web site <https://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov>

 


 

 

 

Attribution:  U.S. Department of Agriculture 

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