Acer ginnala (Amur or Siberian maple) is a deciduous spreading shrub or small tree native to northeastern Asia, from Manchuria to northern China, Korea, and Japan, and throughout the Amur River valley. It is grown as an ornamental in northern Europe and North America, where it is known for its brilliant red fall foliage; many cultivars have been developed for different leaf shape, color and growth form. It is valued for horticulture and is used for bonsai.

A. ginnala was introduced to the U.S. in the 1860s. It is sometimes pruned to use as a hedge, and was planted as a shelterbelt (for erosion control) and for wildlife in the Northeastern and Midwestern U.S. It is cold and salt tolerant, and can grow in a wide range of soil conditions. It has escaped cultivation in some parts of the United States, and has been reported to be invasive in Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Vermont, and Wisconsin (USFS 2011). In Connecticut, it is considered potentially invasive but not yet banned. It can grow in the understory of open forests, and has sometimes been found in dense stands in Missouri and Illinois. It can also spread in open prairies.

Acer ginnala is a deciduous spreading shrub or small tree growing to 3-10 m tall, with a short trunk 20-40 cm diameter and slender branches. The bark is thin, dull gray-brown, and smooth at first but becoming shallowly fissured on old plants. The leaves are opposite and simple, 4-10 cm long and 3-6 cm wide, deeply palmately lobed with three or five lobes, of which two are small basal lobes (sometimes absent) and three are larger apical lobes; the lobes are coarsely and irregularly toothed, and the upper leaf surface glossy. The central lobe is often prominent, considerably longer than the leaf width. The leaves turn brilliant orange to red in autumn, and are on slender, often pink-tinged, petioles 3-5 cm long. The flowers are yellow-green, 5-8 mm diameter, produced in spreading panicles in spring as the leaves open. The fruit is a paired reddish samara (winged nutlet), maturing in late summer to early autumn.

Acer ginnala is closely related to Acer tataricum (Tatar maple), and some botanists treat it as a subspecies A. tataricum subsp. ginnala (Maxim.). They differ conspicuously in the glossy, deeply lobed leaves of A. ginnala, compared to the dull or matte unlobed or only shallowly lobed leaves of A. tataricum (Wikipedia 2011).

General: Maple family (Aceraceae). Amur maple is an introduced, deciduous large shrub or small tree. It can be grown as a multistemmed clump or trained into a small tree with a single trunk. It can also be sheared into a hedge. The leaves are simple, opposite; eight to ten centimeters long, and coarsely toothed. The fragrant, creamy whit flowers appear with the new foliage in April and May (Dirr 1997). The fruit samaras are 0.75 to 1 inch long, held in small panicles and are red to brown in color. The bark is smooth and gray on young branches and grayish brown on older branches.

Distribution: Amur maple is native to Manchuria, north China and Japan and is cultivated in gardens and parks (McMinn & Maino 1951). For current distribution, please consult the Plant profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web site.

Siberian maple

Acer tataricum subsp. ginnala (Maxim.) Wesm.:
Japan (Asia)
Mongolia (Asia)
Russian Federation (Asia)
China (Asia)
South Korea (Asia)

Canada

Origin: Exotic

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Unknown/Undetermined

Confidence: Confident

United States

Origin: Exotic

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Unknown/Undetermined

Confidence: Confident

Acer ginnala grows best in moist well-drained soil, but can tolerate a wide variety of soils, poor soil fertility, and are pH adaptable. This species displays excellent tolerance to dry and alkaline soils (Dirr 1997). It is reasonably drought tolerant. It will tolerate shade, but develops a better fall color if grown in full sun. Acer ginnala grows best in colder climates with cool summers. It can be grown in hotter areas if care is taken to prevent dehydration.

Acer ginnala Maxim.:
China (Asia)
United States (North America)

Propagation from Seed: Pre-soak the stored seed for twenty-four hours and then stratify for one to four months at 1-8ºC. Seeds can be harvested when they are fully developed but before they have dried and produced any germination inhibitors. Sow immediately in a seedbed or open frame. Spring sown seeds may not germinate for another year. Transfer to a nursery bed in the first spring (Heuser 1997). If the seeds are harvested too soon they will produce very weak plants or no plants at all (McMillan 1985).

Propagation from Cuttings: Cuttings of young shoots should be done in June or July. The cuttings should consist of two to three pairs of leaves and one pair of buds on the base. Place cuttings in plastic, bag and seal to prevent moisture loss. They must not be allowed to wilt. Trim the cuttings below the lowest node to remove the lower leaves leaving three or four at the tip. A rooting hormone may be applied to improve rooting before planting. Insert the cuttings in the rooting medium up to half their length so the leaves don’t touch each other. The cuttings should root in two to three weeks, after which they can be potted (Heuser1997).

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 2
Species: 3
Species With Barcodes: 1

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 1
Species: 1
Species With Barcodes: 1

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: NNA - Not Applicable

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: NNA - Not Applicable

Rounded Global Status Rank: GNR - Not Yet Ranked

Introduced into the U.S. Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status, such as, state noxious status and wetland indicator values. As of 2008, it was considered as potentially invasive in Connecticut.

‘Red Fruit’, ‘Bailey Compact’, ‘Flame’, ‘Compactum’ and ‘Durand Dwarf’ are cultivars of Acer ginnala. ‘Red Fruit’ is a collective term for types whose fruit color is brilliant red (Dirr 1990). ‘Bailey Compact’ has a compact shrubby form, growing between eight to twelve feet high. ‘Flame’ is a dense shrub or small tree with red fruits and fiery red fall color (Dirr 1990). ‘Compactum’ is dense and compact and shows vigorous growth reaching between five to six feet. ‘Durand Dwarf’ is a shrubby type, with branches more dense than ‘Compactum’, will grow three to five feet high.

Consult your local nurseries to choose the right cultivar for your specific landscape.

Containerized trees should not be planted in their permanent position until they are twenty centimeters or taller. Amur maple should be pruned in the winter or early spring to help develop and maintain a good single trunk tree form. Amur maple is usually pest free; however, sometimes, spraying is necessary to controls aphids.

Ethnobotanic: The young leaves were used as a tea substitute (Kunkel 1984). Black, blue, and brown dyes were obtained and dried from the leaves.

Landscaping & Wildlife: The main ornamental value of Amur maple is its red fall color and fruit. This is an excellent, low growing tree for small yards. It is sometimes used for hedges or screens. It has a fair rating for wildlife.

Agroforestry: Acer ginnala is used in tree strips for windbreaks. They are planted and managed to protect livestock, enhance production, and control soil erosion. Windbreaks can help communities with harsh winter conditions better handle the impact of winter storms and reduce home heating costs during the winter months.