![]() ![]() The bark begins exfoliating by the third or fourth year of the tree’s development. The curls will often remain attached to the tree. Paperbark maple has distinctly smooth bark that curls into large, papery layers. The trunk can measure up to 28 inches in circumference. It can reach 20 to 30 feet tall, with a 15 to 25 foot spread. Paperbark maple is a small to medium sized tree. Paperbark maple has a short life-span, living 40 to 150 years. ![]() Paperbark maple can be pruned in late fall or winter, when the plant is dormant. The branches formed by paperbark maple are slender, and grow upward. As the tree matures, it assumes an upright-rounded habit. When young, paperbark maple has an upright-oval to oval-rounded growth habit. It reaches maturity after 12 to 15 years. It has a slow growth rate, gaining 6 to 12 inches a year. The tree is widespread across much of Europe and the United States, where it is a popular ornamental plant. The specimens that do exist tend to grow in isolation, and be large in stature. Paperbark maple can be found in China, but has become increasingly rare. It is renown for its copper-colored, exfoliating bark. Paperbark maple is a popular ornamental tree in Europe and the United States. Though once common in its native territory, deforestation and a lack of conservation have caused it to become endangered. It is indigenous to the forests of Central China. They turn rather late, after peak leaf-peeper season, and barring a hard freeze and strong winds to shake them loose, the leaves hold a long time.īut eventually they drop, and-Ta da! A clear shot of that fabulous bark once again.Paperbark maple ( Acer griseum), also called Chinese paperbark maple or paper-barked maple, is a flowering tree in the family Sapindaceae. The leaves look a lot like poison ivy once they expand.Īnd in the fall, in a good year, they turn the color of sun-dried tomatoes. The leaves come out with the flowers and have a butterscotch tint. Paperbark maple’s pale yellow flowers emerge in the frenzy of spring, when we gardeners have a lot on our plates, and they often get overlooked. ![]() The usual hues are more chestnut- or copper-toned. This honey-colored beauty almost looks like a river birch. Though the shaggy forms are the most striking. Once in a while you’ll find one with a blocky pattern. Or it can look like it was clawed up by a particularly spiteful cat. It can be relatively smooth and shiny, peeling just enough to catch the late afternoon light. The bark can actually vary quite a lot, and every tree is one of a kind. I’ll call you ‘gray maple.'” (Okay, maybe he didn’t have a specimen like this to look at, but come on, man! Do your homework.) Please tell me how you can look at this bark and then say, “Hmm… that’s nice, but I notice your leaves appear sort of grayish on the undersides. We hardly get enough rain to wash all the Meconopsis betonicifolia pollen off the sidewalks-let alone do any real irrigating.įerdinand Pax, a German botanist, was the numbskull who named this tree Acer griseum ( griseum=“gray”). True, our plants are spoiled with a milder climate than most, but it should be noted that in summer, it’s dry. In fact, here in Portland I see it used everywhere as a street tree, forced to tough it out in many a parched hellstrip-and performing like a champ. It wants full sun but can handle light shade, and it’s not fussy about soils. (The other two are gardening after dark by the light of your car headlights, and asking for manure for your birthday.)īut novice gardeners can get in on the fun, too, because the choice paperbark maple ( Acer griseum) is surprisingly easy to grow. Planting a paperbark maple is one thing you must do to be considered a Serious Gardener. ![]()
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