Species of Acer Part 2

Acer species in spring and fall

We continue with photographs of the many species of Acer. I have chosen to not provide descriptions of these trees because in many instances I would be plagiarizing others. These are all trees which I have either grown or seen, but some are not sufficiently hardy for me, or they grow to an enormous size, or, even though very beautiful, there simply exists no market for them. So I'm not a complete expert. Good, then let Kew Gardens or Hillier's Arboretum fill their collections with these obscure species; it will give the botanists something to argue about, some purpose to their careers.

The best source of information is probably An Illustrated Guide to Maples by Antoine le Hardy de Beaulieu. Brief but concise descriptions are provided, along with a handful of cultivars and their photographs. The author's hope "is that this book will introduce more variety to our gardens…" Well, I doubt that it will, as the gardening public is pretty well stuck on a small group of species, such as Acer palmatum. Parks and street trees rely on tough species or hybrids that perform well under stress. Viewing an arboretum's collection of species is often conviction enough that they have no place in our gardens. But I'm a maple man, hooked on the genus, so I can appreciate almost all of them.

When I first began my collection I was given a boost by J.D. Vertrees. At first, he eyed me warily; perhaps I was another maple rascal who would screw up the nomenclature, or cause some other disorder in his beloved maple world. But I persisted in earnest and eventually won him over. Once he asked if I was interested in species of maples other than the "Japanese maples." I answered, "no, not really." He replied "You will, when you're ready."

Of course he was right, and the genus Acer has been my passport to travel the world and experience many of Flora's best wonders.

Acer nipponicum (Nihon Maple)

Acer nipponicum (Nihon Maple)

Acer griseum (Chinese Paperbark Maple)

Acer griseum (Chinese Paperbark Maple)

Acer oliverianum (Oliver Maple)

Acer caesium ssp. giraldii (Caesium Maple)

Acer platanoides (Norway Maple)

Acer okamotoanum (Okamoto Maple)

Acer okamotoanum (Okamoto Maple)

Acer oblongum (Flying Moth Maple)

Acer oblongum ssp. itoanum (Itoanum Flying Moth Maple)

Acer monspessulanum (Montpellier Maple)

Acer cappadocicum (Caucasian Maple)

Acer cappadocicum ssp. sinicum (Chinese Caucasian Maple)

Acer tschonoskii (Tschonoski Maple)

Acer cissifolium (Vine-leaf Maple)

Acer pseudosieboldianum (Korean Maple)

Acer pseudosieboldianum ssp. takesimense (Takeshima Korean Maple)

Acer glabrum ssp. douglasii (Douglas Maple)

Acer glabrum ssp. douglasii (Douglas Maple)

Acer pensylvanicum (Moosewood Maple)

Acer micranthum (Small-flowered Maple)

Acer distylum (Linden-leaf Maple)

Acer coriaceum (Leather-leaf Maple)

Acer henryi (Henry's Maple)

Acer sempervirens (Cretan Maple)

Acer sterculiaceum (Sterculia Maple)

Acer sterculiaceum (Sterculia Maple)

Acer sterculiaceum ssp franchetii (Franchet's Sterculia Maple)

Acer spicatum (Mountain Maple)

Acer skutchii (Mexican Sugar Maple)

Acer pictum ssp. dissectum (Dissected Painted Maple)

Acer paxii (Pax's Maple)

Acer pectinatum ssp. maximowiczii (Maximowicz's Stripe-bark Maple)

Acer sinensis (Chinese Maple)

Acer insulare (Insulare Maple)

Acer miyabei (Miyabe Maple)

Acer erianthum (Downy-flower Maple)

Acer maximowiczianum (Nikko Maple)

Acer velutinum (Velvet Maple)

Acer morrisonense (Mt. Morrison Maple)

Acer shirasawanum (Full Moon Maple)

Acer shirasawanum (Full Moon Maple)

Acer capillipes (Capillary Maple)

Acer rubrum (Red Maple)

Acer pycnanthum (Japanese Red Maple)

Acer tataricum (Tatarian Maple)

Acer robustum (Robustum Chinese Maple)

Acer orientale (Oriental Maple)

Acer rufinerve (Redvein Maple)

Acer rufinerve (Redvein Maple)

Acer cappadocicum ssp. divergens (Divergent Maple)

Acer x 'Cinnamon Flake' (griseum x maximowiczianum)

Acer x 'Cinnamon Flake' (griseum x maximowiczianum)

Acer x 'Purple Haze' (griseum x pseudoplatanus)

Acer x 'Purple Haze' (griseum x pseudoplatanus)

Acer x 'Sugarflake' (griseum x saccharum)