Edit Plant: Bigleaf Maple

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'''''Acer macrophyllum''''' ('''Bigleaf Maple''' or '''Oregon Maple''') is a large [[deciduous]] [[tree]] in the genus ''[[Acer (genus)|Acer]]''. It grows to be up to 35 m tall, but more commonly 15 m to 20 m tall. It is native to western [[North America]], mostly near the [[Pacific]] coast, from southernmost [[Alaska]] south to southern [[California]]. Some stands are also found inland in the foothills of the [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada]] mountains of central California, and a tiny population occurs in central [[Idaho]].<ref name=bc>Plants of British Columbia: [http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Acer+macrophyllum ''Acer macrophyllum'']</ref><ref name=jeps>Jepson Flora: [http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Acer+macrophyllum ''Acer macrophyllum'']</ref> [[Image:BigleafMaple 0304.jpg|left|thumb|Bigleaf Maple flowers and foliage]] It has the largest leaves of any [[maple]], typically 15-30&nbsp;cm across, with five deeply-incised palmate lobes, with the largest running to 61&nbsp;cm. The [[flower]]s are produced in spring in pendulous [[raceme]]s 10-15&nbsp;cm long, greenish-yellow with inconspicuous petals. The [[fruit]] is a paired winged [[Samara (fruit)|samara]], each [[seed]] 1-1.5&nbsp;cm diameter with a 4-5&nbsp;cm wing.<ref name=bc/><ref name=jeps/> Bigleaf maple can form pure stands on moist soils in proximity to streams, but are generally found within [[riparian]] [[hardwood]] forests or dispersed, (under or within), relatively open [[Canopy (forest)|canopies]] of [[conifer]]s, mixed [[evergreen]]s, or [[oak]]s ([[Quercus]] spp.).<ref name="US Forest Service">[http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/acemac/all.html US Forest Service]</ref>. In cool and moist temperate [[California mixed evergreen forest|mixed woods]] they are one of the dominant species <ref name="Las Pilitas Native Plant Nursery Plant Communities">[http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/communities/mixed-evergreen-forest]</ref>. {{Inc| Acer macrophyllum, Pursh. Large-leaved Maple. Tree, to 100 feet high: lvs. cordate, deeply 3-5-lobed or cleft, pubescent when young, pale green beneath, 8-12 in. across; middle lobe mostly 3-lobed: panicles glabrous, narrow, pendulous, 4-5 in. long: fr. with yellow, bristly hairs, wings spreading at right angles or nearly upright, over 1 in. long. W. N. Amer.—Handsome round-headed tree, remarkable for its large foliage; not hardy in the N. }} :''More information about this species can be found on the [[Acer|genus page]].'' ==Cultivation== {{edit-cult}}<!--- Type cultivation info below this line, then delete this entire line --> ===Propagation=== {{edit-prop}}<!--- Type propagation info below this line, then delete this entire line --> ===Pests and diseases=== {{edit-pests}}<!--- Type pest/disease info below this line, then delete this entire line --> ==Varieties== ==Gallery== <gallery perrow=5> Image:BigleafMaple 3158.jpg|Wings help disperse Bigleaf Maple seeds Image:BigleafMapleBark_7532.jpg|Bigleaf Maple bark is often covered by moss </gallery> ==References== <!--- xxxxx *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381 --> <!--- xxxxx *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432 --> <!--- xxxxx *Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608 --> ==External links== *{{wplink}} {{stub}} __NOTOC__

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