Acer acuminatum PFAF Plant Database

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Acer acuminatum - Wall.

Common Name

Family

Aceraceae

Synonyms

A. caudatum. Wallich. pro parte.

Known Hazards

None known

Habitats

Open ravines on shady aspects at altitudes between 2400 - 3300 metres[158].

Range

E. Asia - W. Himalayas.

Edibility Rating

Medicinal Rating

Care

Summary

Physical Characteristics

Acer acuminatum is a deciduous Tree growing to 6 m (19ft 8in).
It is hardy to zone 6. It is in flower from Apr to May. The flowers are dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required)The plant is not self-fertile.

Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Habitats
Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade;

Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Edible Uses: Tea. The leaves are used as a tea substitute[183].

Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally. None known

Other Uses
Preservative; Wood. The leaves are packed around apples, rootcrops etc to help preserve them[18, 20]. Wood - compact, moderately hard. It is seldom used[158].

Cultivation details

Of easy cultivation, it prefers a good moist well-drained soil[1, 11] in a sunny position but tolerates some shade[11, 200]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Chlorosis can sometimes develop as a result of iron deficiency when the plants are grown in alkaline soils, but in general maples are not fussy as to soil pH. This species is often confused with A. papilio[11]. Most maples are bad companion plants, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants[18, 20]. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame, it usually germinates in the following spring. Pre-soak stored seed for 24 hours and then stratify for 2 - 4 months at 1 - 8°c. It can be slow to germinate. The seed can be harvested 'green' (when it has fully developed but before it has dried and produced any germination inhibitors) and sown immediately. It should germinate in late winter. If the seed is harvested too soon it will produce very weak plants or no plants at all[80, 113]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on until they are 20cm or more tall before planting them out in their permanent positions. Layering, which takes about 12 months, is successful with most species in this genus. Cuttings of young shoots in June or July. The cuttings should have 2 - 3 pairs of leaves, plus one pair of buds at the base. Remove a very thin slice of bark at the base of the cutting, rooting is improved if a rooting hormone is used. The rooted cuttings must show new growth during the summer before being potted up otherwise they are unlikely to survive the winter. Good results are usually obtained.

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Expert comment

Author
Wall.

Botanical References
11200

Links / References

[1]F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956

Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[11]Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement.

A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[18]Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants.

Details of beneficial and antagonistic relationships between neighbouring plants.

[20]Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening.

Fairly good.

[80]McMillan-Browse. P. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed.

Does not deal with many species but it is very comprehensive on those that it does cover. Not for casual reading.

[113]Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation.

A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.

[158]Gupta. B. L. Forest Flora of Chakrata, Dehra Dun and Saharanpur.

A good flora for the middle Himalayan forests, sparsly illustrated. Not really for the casual reader.

[183]Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.

Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[200]Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.

Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

Readers comment

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