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Acer spicatum - (image 1 of 8)

Taxonomy

Family: Aceraceae

Habitat

Moist woods. Thrives in the shade of the understory.

Associates

Distribution

Southeastern Canada. Northeastern US, across the upper Midwest to MN and IA, south in mountains to NC and TN.

Morphology

Tall shrub or small tree, to 10 m. Leaves shallowly 3-lobed, soft hairy beneath, irregularly serrate, the teeth ending in a tiny sharp gland. Flowers in upright, terminal panicles; the petals yellow-green and very narrow. Bark brown. Stems finely pubescent.

Notes

Flowers June

Wetland Indicator: Facultative Upland

The inflorescences of this maple are relatively showy compared to most other representatives of this genus in North America. Fall color orange to red.

A closely allied species from subalpine forests of eastern Asia is Acer caudatum Wall. Pictured here is likely the subspecies ukurunduense. The inflorescence is more conical than in A. spicatum.

Acer caudatum subsp. ukurunduense

References

Dirr, Michael A. 1998. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses.
5th ed. Champaign, Illiois: Stipes Publishing L.L.C.

Gleason, Henry A. and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. Second Ed.
The New York Botanical Garden. Bronx, NY

Swink, F. and G. Wilhelm. 1994. Plants of the Chicago Region.
Indiana Academy of Science. The Morton Arboretum. Lisle, Illinois.

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