Plant, Tree & Shrub Library

Description:

A great small landscaping tree noted for its interesting bark and fall colors, which tend to see multiple colors featured together on a single tree; not common, but worthy of greater use. Also available in clump form.

Ornamental Features

Three Flowered Maple has dark green deciduous foliage on a tree with a round habit of growth. The compound leaves turn outstanding shades of yellow, orange and red in the fall. The peeling khaki (brownish-green) bark is extremely showy and adds significant winter interest.

Landscape Attributes

Three Flowered Maple is a deciduous tree with a more or less rounded form. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This tree will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should only be pruned in summer after the leaves have fully developed, as it may 'bleed' sap if pruned in late winter or early spring. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Three Flowered Maple is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent

Planting & Growing

Three Flowered Maple will grow to be about 25 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 20 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 5 feet from the ground, and should not be planted underneath power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 70 years or more.

This tree should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for acidic soils, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America.