Three-toothed Maple Acer buergerianum
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- AY-ser bur-jer-ee-AY-num
- Description
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Trident Maple is a small to medium-sized tree from Asia with a rounded, branching form. The leaves have three forward-facing lobes resembling a trident. This tree tends to grow as a multi-stemmed low-branching specimen but can be pruned to a single stem. The exfoliating bark reveals an orange-brown inner bark and adds additional interest. The fall color can be variable but is usually reds and oranges but sometimes yellows.
Its preference is for full sun and average well-drained acidic soils; however, it is tolerant of a range of soil moistures and textures. It is tolerant of wind, salt, drought, air pollution, and soil compaction. Trident Maple has a slow to medium growth rate and is easy to transplant.
It is frequently used in bonsai. Other uses can be as a street tree or a shade tree for smaller spaces.
Problems: Verticillium wilt is a potential problem for maples. It may suffer limb breakage with snow or ice.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Aeryn'
- 'Kifu Nishiki'
Rounder leaves - 'Mino Yatabusa'
Dwarf with long narrow leaves - 'Mitsubato Kaede'
Cork-like trunk - 'Miyasama yatsubusa'
Variegated leaves - 'Naputo Kaede'
- 'Nokoribo'
- 'Streetwise'
Red fall color, single trunk, exfoliates at a younger age - 'Valynor' or 'ABFSS'
- 'Aeryn'
- 'Aeryn', 'Kifu Nishiki', 'Mino Yatabusa', 'Mitsubato Kaede', 'Miyasama yatsubusa', 'Naputo Kaede', 'Nokoribo', 'Streetwise', 'Valynor' or 'ABFSS'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Aeryn'
- 'Kifu Nishiki'
Rounder leaves - 'Mino Yatabusa'
Dwarf with long narrow leaves - 'Mitsubato Kaede'
Cork-like trunk - 'Miyasama yatsubusa'
Variegated leaves - 'Naputo Kaede'
- 'Nokoribo'
- 'Streetwise'
Red fall color, single trunk, exfoliates at a younger age - 'Valynor' or 'ABFSS'
- 'Aeryn'
- 'Aeryn', 'Kifu Nishiki', 'Mino Yatabusa', 'Mitsubato Kaede', 'Miyasama yatsubusa', 'Naputo Kaede', 'Nokoribo', 'Streetwise', 'Valynor' or 'ABFSS'
- Tags:
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-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Acer
- Species:
- buergerianum
- Family:
- Sapindaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern China, Japan, Korea
- Dimensions:
- Height: 25 ft. 0 in. - 35 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 20 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Oval
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6b, 6a, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Samara
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- 1 inch long samaras in pairs in the fall.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Corymb
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- Blooms in spring with small greenish-yellow flowers
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Obovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Lobed
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 1.5 to 3.5-inch leaves are simple and opposite with 3 triangular lobes that point forward, resembling a trident. Leaf base is rounded. Fall color is variable but usually reds and oranges. Color changes later than most maples.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Dark Gray
- Light Brown
- Light Gray
- Orange
- Surface/Attachment:
- Exfoliating
- Peeling
- Bark Description:
- Exfoliating gray bark develops on mature trunks and reveals an orange-brown inner bark. Adds winter interest.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Bud Terminal:
- Cluster of terminal buds
- Stem Lenticels:
- Conspicuous
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Twigs are slender, flexible and reddish-brown. They have gray hairs. The buds are sharp-pointed.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Patio
- Recreational Play Area
- Small Space
- Landscape Theme:
- Children's Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Shade Tree
- Specimen
- Street Tree
- Attracts:
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Compaction
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Pollution
- Salt
- Wind
- Problems:
- Weak Wood
