That nice 30-year-old Nikko maple I told you about (acquired under the old name Acer nikoense) is blooming, and seems to have falsified its employment application when I invited it to work here. Who wants to tell me what it really is? Maybe Acer cissifolium?
Thanks for any help --
Guy S.
Don't know these plants (except for now Acer maximowiczianum), but Acer cissifolium is closely related to the somewhat hardier Acer henryi.
Where's Decrepit and his singularly special sentiments for samaras?
I wish I had a quick answer for you Guy, but I will hit the books tonight and see what I can find out. I can assume, I assume, that this is for sure a trifoliate maple. Those flower spikes certainly are unusual!
Scott
Yes, it's trifoliate, and I've just followed the nursery label and called it Nikko maple for decades, until it started flowering. It's a nice little tree but I'd like to stick the correct name on it. Thanks for whatever you might find out.
Guy S.
So our options are A. henryi, A. griseum, A. negundo, A. cissifolium, A. triflorum, A. maximowiczianum, A. mandshuricum, or any hybrids of the above.
My vote is A. cissifolium
http://www.uah.edu/admin/Fac/images/ivyleafseed.JPG
and
http://www.treetopics.com/acer_cissifolium/ivy-leaved_maple__9820inset.jpg
This message was edited May 15, 2006 9:29 PM
Your vote appears to be correct! That was what I suspected also. Here's what a Belgian friend who wrote a book on maples said about it:
About the maple on the picture, it seems to be Acer cissifolium because of the size and the number of the clusters. In the comming days they will be larger and slender, bearing lots of wings. The size of each may reach 8 to 10 inches. Opposite, Acer nikoense, now Acer maximowiczianum, bears flowers grouped by 2 or more generaly 3. You're right about the bark wich looks like the Acer saccharum one's (I.e. withish) instead of the bark of A.maximowiczianum wich is more greyish or brownish. Then, A. maximowiczianum has a strong pilose on wings, wich are larger, on petiole and below the leaves. At least, have a look to the young shoots of A.cissifolium. They are smooth and dark red brown, later dark green, and of diameter much larger than A. maximowiczianum.
Yeah, that was going to be my vote, having consulted said book by said Belgian author last night. (Great book, BTW). This determination was bolstered by a quick look through Maples of the World by a pair of Dutch authors (what is it about these low country types and maples?). Again, the description of the flowers matches quite nicely with Acer cissifolium. (A picture later this year of the samaras (and a sample sent to me!) should further verify the identification).
Gelderon, de Jong, and Oterdoom have many good things to say about A. cissifolium. A few quick things. "To 12m. Native to Hokkaido Island, where it forms small forests. Often very good fall color, yellow to orange-yellow. The species does not like dry sites, and should be given good shelter in cold and windy situations." Sounds like just the plant for Illinois!
I have seen this growing quite well in Cincinnati, where the zoo has it growing in a prominent location. The smooth bark is covered with lichen and moss and the tree appears a lot older than it probably is. Next time I go to the zoo, I'll take some pictures.
Scott
scott
Thanks, Scott scott!
Mine seem to do OK on a dry, windy site, but they're shorter and stockier than probably would be expected in a mesic ravine. I have a couple of smaller ones in more protected locations so we'll see what happens.
By the way, that same author is coming out with a similar book on oaks later this year.
Guy S.
