Three-Flower Maple Acer triflorum
- Phonetic Spelling
- AY-ser try-FLOR-um
- Description
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Three-flower maple is a deciduous tree in the maple family (Sapindaceae) that is native to hills of northeastern China and Korea. The common name is due to the flowers appearing in groups of three. Genus name is Latin for maple
This tree will grow 25-30 feet tall and wide with an attractive rounded crown. It can also be trained as a shrub as branches are low to the ground. It does best in well-drained acidic moist soils in full sun to partial shade. It has moderate salt tolerance but is intolerant of alkaline soils, soil compaction, drought and wet soil.
In spring, greenish-yellow flowers appear followed by samaras in the fall. The leaves have excellent fall colors of yellow/red/purple. The exfoliating bark adds additional appeal.
Received the Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society.
This tree makes a good shade tree for a smaller yard, as a specimen or in a woodland and winter garden.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems. Verticillium wilt can occur. See potential insect and disease problem fact sheets to the left.
The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common maple diseases and insect pests.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Acer
- Species:
- triflorum
- Family:
- Sapindaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Asia
- Distribution:
- Manchuria China, North and South Korea
- Wildlife Value:
- Members of the genus Acer support Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south. Adult Imperial Moths do not feed.
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- drought and clay soil tolerant; no serious pest problems; easy to transplant
- Dimensions:
- Height: 25 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 25 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Erect
- Rounded
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Winter
- Fruit Type:
- Samara
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Samaras 1" long joined at a wide angle with a fat nutlet persists into winter
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Pink
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- Pink to a greenish yellow cluster of 3 flowers in April.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Orange
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Serrate
- Sinuate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Dark green somewhat fuzzy trifoliate leaf 3" long 1" wide with irregularly toothed margins. Brilliant orange, scarlet, purple and gold fall color in October. One of the few trees to develop good fall color in shade.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Light Brown
- Light Gray
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Surface/Attachment:
- Exfoliating
- Peeling
- Bark Description:
- This plant has warm, ashy light brown bark, peeling in long strips bark, to reveal cinnamon orange-brown (or cinnamon red) inner bark even at an early age.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Patio
- Small Space
- Walkways
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Nighttime Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Shade Tree
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Insect Pests
- Salt
