Acer crataegifolium


Acer crataegifolium SZ147.jpg


Plant Characteristics
Habit   tree

Height: 25 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 25.
Width: 25 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 25.
Lifespan: perennial
Bloom: early spring, mid spring, late spring
Cultivation
Exposure: sun
Features: flowers
USDA Zones: 6 to 8
Scientific Names

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Acer crataegifolium (Hawthorn-leaf Maple or Uri Maple), is a species of maple in the snakebark maple group, native to mountains forests of central and southern Japan, on Honshū (Fukushima southward), Kyūshū and Shikoku.[1][2][3][4]

It is a deciduous small tree or shrub that grows to a height of 5–10 m, with a trunk up to 30 cm diameter. The bark is green to greenish-brown, with narrow vertical white or pale grey stripes; the young shoots are slender, green to purplish-red and the buds purplish-red. The leaves are 5-8 cm (rarely to 15 cm) long and 4-7 cm broad, dark green to bluish green and often tinged reddish above, paler green below, ovate-triangular, and may be either unlobed or three-lobed; the petiole is red, 2–3 cm long. The flowers are small, pale yellow, produced on arched to drooping racemes 3–5 cm long. The fruit is a paired samara 1–2 cm long, pink or red maturing brown, with nutlets not more than 4 mm wide.[1][2][3][5]

The Japanese name urikaede refers to the bark pattern resembling the skin of a melon, as also in the similar bark of Acer rufinerve (urihadakaede).[1] The scientific name derives from the supposed resemblance of its leaves to those of hawthorns (Crataegus), though this is somewhat fanciful, only making sense if certain species of hawthorn are considered.[5]

It is a somewhat difficult maple to propagate, and is rarely seen outside of sizable collections. Examples may be seen in Westonbirt Arboretum (Gloucestershire, England) and the Arnold Arboretum (Boston, USA). The rare cultivars 'Me uri no ofu' and 'Veitchii' both have striking white and pink variegation.[3]


Read about Acer crataegifolium in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture 

Acer crataegifolium,Sieb. & Zucc. Small tree, to 30 ft.: lvs. oblong-ovate, often with 2 or 4 lobes near the base, 2-3 in. long, acuminate, rounded or cordate at the base, unequally serrate, bluish gray beneath: racemes 5-8-fld., glabrous: fr. on pedicels about 1/4in. long; wings nearly horizontal. Japan.-Graceful species; hardy at the Arnold Arboretum. CH


The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.


Cultivation

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Propagation

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Pests and diseases

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Varieties

There are two varieties:[3]

  • A. crataegifolium var. crataegifolium. Leaves up to 7 cm long.
  • A. crataegifolium var. macrophyllum Hara. Leaves up to 15 cm long.

Gallery

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References

External links


  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Kanon tree book: Acer crataegifolium (in Japanese; google translation)
  2. 2.0 2.1 Kanagawa Prefecture trees and shrubs: Acer crataegifolium (in Japanese; google translation). Archived 2009-10-24.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 van Gelderen, C. J. & van Gelderen, D. M. (1999). Maples for Gardens: A Color Encyclopedia
  4. Germplasm Resources Information Network: Acer crataegifolium
  5. 5.0 5.1 Rushforth, K. (1999). Trees of Britain and Europe. Collins ISBN 0-00-220013-9.