Trident Maple
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 Trident Maple foliage and seeds
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| Acer buergerianum Miq. |
Trident Maple (Acer buergerianum) is a maple native to Japan and eastern China.[1]
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[edit] Description
A. buergerianum is a small deciduous tree reaching a height of about 10-12 m (33-40 feet) with a trunk up to 50 cm diameter. The leaves are in opposite pairs, 4-8 cm long (excluding the 2-5 cm petiole), hard, glossy dark green, with three forward-pointing lobes; the margin is smooth on the leaves of mature trees, serrated on the leaves of young trees. The flowers are produced in spring, yellow-green, in pendulous corymbs. The fruit is a samara with two winged seeds, each seed 4-6 mm diameter, with a 15 mm wing; the wings are forward-pointing and often overlapping each other.[1].
[edit] Cultivation
A. buergerianum is also occasionally grown as an ornamental tree in parks and large gardens in Europe and North America. Mature examples may be seen at Westonbirt Arboretum in England, the Esveld Aceretum in Boskoop, Netherlands, Arnold Arboretum in Boston, Massachusetts and many other locations. [1].
[edit] Bonsai
Trident Maple is a popular choice for the art of bonsai and responds well to techniques that create leaf reduction and ramification.[1]
[edit] Cultivars
As a maple native to Japan, A. buergerianum has been in cultivation for a long time and several interesting cultivars have been developed. Most of these bear Japanese names.
Notable cultivars of A. buergerianum include 'Goshiki kaede' (striking pink and green variegation), 'Kifu nishiki' (roundish, almost un-lobed leaves), 'Mino yatsubusa' (dwarf with long, narrow leaves) 'Mitsubato kaede' (distinctive cork-like trunk) and 'Naruto' (strongly incurved leaf surface).[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e van Gelderen, C.J. & van Gelderen, D.M. (1999). Maples for Gardens: A Color Encyclopedia
