All About the Mountain Maple (Acer Spicatum)
Forests have an indescribable beauty about them, especially the understory, where smaller trees grow below the giant oak and pine trees. The Mountain Maple, also called Acer Spicatum, is one of the small understory trees, and is known for its reliability and beauty.
Mountain Maples grow where the soil may be rocky, the space is small (unlike the large maple trees), and where the trees have not been clear cut. Hence, it is a good candidate for small, woodland borders and natural gardens.
More Information About the Mountain Maple (Acer Spicatum)
The Mountain Maple is also a true survivor, and is able to withstand rocky and poor soils. and moisture, Mountain Maples grow from the cool forests of Canada, down through the Appalachian Mountains to Georgia.
This deciduous shrub or dwarfed tree usually grows from 15 to 25 feet in height, although situationally just right its height grows to about 40 feet tall. They tend to develop shrub morphology, where the trunk is small and crooked and the tree has slender branching that makes distorted, open circular tree crowns.
Identification and Aesthetics
Once you learn what to observe for, distinguishing this shrub from the others isn't so difficult. Its leaves form on the stem opposite of one another and alone, looking like they are 3 to 5 inches long. These leaves have lobes that are shallow, broad, and have rough edges. The foliage on the leaves are also a yellowish green in color with a slightly downy and paler color on the bottom side of the leaf.
Seasonality also puts on an impressive showing where the shrub’s leaves explode in the colors during autumn, turning all shades of fiery red and orange. Along with the aesthetic foliage, the shrub’s bark is also distinctive and can be used to identify the young stems. The thin and true bark is a dull and reddish brown colour. The older trees will be a little rough textured as the bark gets a bit warty and furrowed.
Blooms and Seedlings
The Mountain Maple doesn't follow the same blooming pattern as most, which usually bloom before they leaf-out. This species blooms after leaves have emerged at the beginning of June. These flowers are in upright formations called panicles (which is even where the specific name for the species, spicatum, comes from). These panicles are white to yellow-green in color and are dense, standing upright from the leaves.
After flowering, the Mountain Maple produces helicopter seeds called samaras. These typical maple seeds are usually red and pink during the late summer before they turn brown for fall and are distributed by the wind.
Abundant Information, Uses and Benefits
The Mountain Maple is not just for show. It's all around functional and beneficial as well in the ecosystem.
Soil Stability and Health
On rocky slopes and moist banks, the Mountain Maple is excellent for erosion control. Its root systems are strong and able to stabilize the soil in areas where other plants have a hard time. This would be a great addition to any landscapers. If you happen to have a sloped property or a woodland edge that washes out, the Mountain Maple would be a natural solution.
Wildlife Support
Wildlife Support is where this Maple shines the most. Numerous animals benefit from being able to eat off it. Moose, deer, and Snowshoe hare graze on the twigs and barks during the winter freeze. Ruffed Grouse and other birds eat the flowers and seeds. Furthermore, the thick, bushy consistency is good shelter and good for nesting for small song birds.
Traditional Uses
Like many other plants, the Mountain Maple has served humans as well. It, along with other species of Maple, has been used for centuries to make Maple sugar and syrup, although it is not the most commercially used. It is also the only species of maple along with several others that has a winter and spring seasonal sap flow containing a high sugar content.
Comparing the Maples: How Does It Stack Up?
In order to understand the Mountain Maple fully, it is also important to understand how it compares to other popular members of the Acer genus. They all have different pros and cons depending on your gardening objectives.
Mountain Maple vs. Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)
In the fall, Sugar Maple is the ruler of the forest with its splendid colors and harvests of sap. As the biggest of the maples, it is over 75 feet tall. It takes up a lot of space and needs full sun.
Choose Mountain Maple if: You have a lack of space, have issues with shade, or are looking for a small understory plant.
Choose Sugar Maple if: You are trying to fill a large yard with a shade tree and prioritize the production of syrup from its sap.
Mountain Maple vs. Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum)
Japanese Maples are popular in ornamental gardening for their beautiful, lacy foliage and structural designs. They are splendid but can be a little picky. They usually need protection from strong winds and extreme sun.
Choose Mountain Maple if: You want a low-maintenance hardy native plant that attracts and shelters local wildlife.
Choose Japanese Maple if: You want a tree with a lot of ornamental qualities for an elegant garden or for a patio container.
Mountain Maple vs. Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum)
Silver Maple is a fast grower with quick shade, but usually for every positive there is a negative and in this case the tree with the quick shade has weak, storm-breakable wood.
Pick Mountain Maple if: You prefer a sturdy, long-lasting plant, with no risk of dropping heavy branches on your roof
Pick Silver Maple if: You require shade urgently, and have a large space with no structures in the vicinity.
Acer Spicatum in Landscaping
If people are interested in gardening and landscaping, they would have a good candidate in Acer spicatum for a small shade tree or as a focal point in a woodland garden. Northeastern North America and the Appalachian highlands are home to this native species which means that the region's gardeners can use it without the worry of ecological damage caused by the invasives.
With other native plants that like shade, especially ferns, hostas, and wildflowers, it works really well. With many other ericaceous woodland plants, it has greater flexibility in soil compatibility since it is able to withstand alkaline soils.
Buy Quality Trees at TN Nursery
Do you want to add the rugged beauty of the Mountain Maple to your landscape? Whether you wish to create a woodland retreat, stabilize a slope, or want to enjoy the changing seasons with a native species, starting with healthy stock is essential.
TN Nursery specializes in providing high-quality, nursery-grown plants, and delivers them to your door. From the Mountain Maple to species in the full range of shade and countless other natives, we have everything to help you grow a thriving garden.
Check out TN Nursery and see the full range of species we offer.
FAQs
How big does Acer Spicatum get?
When compared to large maples such as the Sugar Maple, the Acer Spicatum, also known as the Mountain Maple, is relatively smaller; height-wise, it ranges from around 15 to 25 feet tall. That said, in optimal growing conditions, which include the right balance of moisture and soil nutrients, it most certainly reaches 40 feet tall! Additionally, to make an Acer Spicatum more compact, it is characterized by growing as a large shrub with multiple stems instead of a big, single-stemmed trunk.
What are some issues with an Acer Saccharinum?
Because it is such a fast-growing species, the Silver Maple is known to be a poor long-term growing tree characterized by weak wood with brittle branches that easily snap off in stormy and icy conditions. This is coupled with aggressive, shallow roots that can cause severe landscaping issues as they invade sewer systems and also crack sidewalks; it also makes the yard bumpy when being mowed. As with any tree, there are also some common pests and diseases, such as aphids and the tar spot disease, but most homeowners consider it a hazard because of its high risk of getting broken in wind.
What are the disadvantages of growing Japanese maples?
Although these trees are beautiful and a great addition to any landscape, Japanese Maples are fussy and difficult to take care of. Being the most expensive and least forgiving of mistakes in care, Japanese Maples are a high-stakes investment when compared to native maples. Japanese Maples are especially sensitive to high temperatures and hot afternoon sun, damaging the leaves and petioles, while late spring frosts and freezes can further damage new leaves and branch tips. They also grow much slower than other maples, meaning if you were to want quick privacy or screening, you would be waiting a long time.
Do Maples like sun or shade?
This really comes down to the variety of Acer (Maple) you want to grow. Mountain Maple (Acer spicatum) is a full shade lover and understory tree, meaning it does best in light shade / dappled light. Large maples, like Red Maple and Sugar Maple, on the other hand, love full sun to grow to their fullest size and best fall color. Japanese Maples (Acer palmatum) fit in the middle, as they like full sun in the morning and afternoon shade to avoid heat and sunburn on the leaves.
Where should you avoid planting a Japanese maple?
Our Japanese maple should not be planted in wide open, exposed areas that are vulnerable to strong winds, and hot, midday sun. This is especially the case in hotter microclimates. Severe winds can easily dry and shred the saplings' delicate foliage, and the midday sun can be very scorching. Additionally, avoid planting Japanese maple trees in areas that have a higher % of clay in the soil as it hinders good drainage and can leave the soil in a waterlogged state. Japanese maples are very susceptible to root rot, and in areas where the soil is consistently waterlogged, they are said to develop root rot conditions.
What are the sugar maples downsides?
Flexibility is by far the best aspect of sugar maples; however, the sugar maple is also not the best because it is not very city friendly. This tree is extremely sensitive to compact soil, pollution, and road salt, so it is a poor choice when planting trees sidewalk side or in other urban areas. Also, sugar maples give off overly dense shade, and thick, dark shade that grows grass is not very desirable beneath trees. Also, their surface roots, while not as bad as the not-so-great silver maples, can disrupt pavement around them, and tend to interfere in mowing as well.
