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| ## amur maple {#amur-maple .Title-Header}                             |
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| *Acer ginnala* Maxim.                                                 |
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| Plant Symbol = ACGI                                                   |
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*Contributed By: USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center*

**Alternative Name**![](media/image2.jpeg){width="2.686111111111111in"
height="2.6444444444444444in"}

Siberian maple

# Uses

*Ethnobotanic*: The young leaves were used as a tea substitute (Kunkel
1984). Black, blue, and brown dyes were obtained and dried from the
leaves.

*Landscaping & Wildlife*: The main ornamental value of Amur maple is its
red fall color and fruit. This is an excellent, low growing tree for
small yards. It is sometimes used for hedges or screens. It has a fair
rating for wildlife.

*Agroforestry*: *Acer ginnala* is used in tree strips for windbreaks.
They are planted and managed to protect livestock, enhance production,
and control soil erosion. Windbreaks can help communities with harsh
winter conditions better handle the impact of winter storms and reduce
home heating costs during the winter months.

# Status

# Introduced into the U.S. Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant's current status, such as, state noxious status and wetland indicator values. As of 2008, it was considered as potentially invasive in Connecticut.

# Description

*General*: Maple family (Aceraceae). Amur maple is an introduced,
deciduous large shrub or small tree. It can be grown as a multistemmed
clump or trained into a small tree with a single trunk. It can also be
sheared into a hedge. The leaves are simple, opposite; eight to ten
centimeters long, and coarsely toothed. The fragrant, creamy whit
flowers appear with the new foliage in April and May (Dirr 1997). The
fruit samaras are 0.75 to 1 inch long, held in small panicles and are
red to brown in color. The bark is smooth and gray on young branches and
grayish brown on older branches.

*Distribution*: Amur maple is native to Manchuria, north China and Japan
and is cultivated in gardens and parks (McMinn & Maino 1951). For
current distribution, please consult the Plant profile page for this
species on the PLANTS Web site.

# Adaptation

*Acer ginnala* grows best in moist well-drained soil, but can tolerate a
wide variety of soils, poor soil fertility, and are pH adaptable. This
species displays excellent tolerance to dry and alkaline soils (Dirr
1997). It is reasonably drought tolerant. It will tolerate shade, but
develops a better fall color if grown in full sun. *Acer ginnala* grows
best in colder climates with cool summers. It can be grown in hotter
areas if care is taken to prevent dehydration.

# Establishment

*Propagation from Seed*: Pre-soak the stored seed for twenty-four hours
and then stratify for one to four months at 1-8ºC. Seeds can be
harvested when they are fully developed but before they have dried and
produced any germination inhibitors. Sow immediately in a seedbed or
open frame. Spring sown seeds may not germinate for another year.
Transfer to a nursery bed in the first spring (Heuser 1997). If the
seeds are harvested too soon they will produce very weak plants or no
plants at all (McMillan 1985).

*Propagation from Cuttings*: Cuttings of young shoots should be done in
June or July. The cuttings should consist of two to three pairs of
leaves and one pair of buds on the base. Place cuttings in plastic, bag
and seal to prevent moisture loss. They must not be allowed to wilt.
Trim the cuttings below the lowest node to remove the lower leaves
leaving three or four at the tip. A rooting hormone may be applied to
improve rooting before planting. Insert the cuttings in the rooting
medium up to half their length so the leaves don't touch each other. The
cuttings should root in two to three weeks, after which they can be
potted (Heuser1997).

# Management

Containerized trees should not be planted in their permanent position
until they are twenty centimeters or taller. Amur maple should be pruned
in the winter or early spring to help develop and maintain a good single
trunk tree form. Amur maple is usually pest free; however, sometimes,
spraying is necessary to controls aphids.

# Cultivars, Improved and Selected Materials (and area of origin)

'Red Fruit', 'Bailey Compact', 'Flame', 'Compactum' and 'Durand Dwarf'
are cultivars of *Acer ginnala*. 'Red Fruit' is a collective term for
types whose fruit color is brilliant red (Dirr 1990). 'Bailey Compact'
has a compact shrubby form, growing between eight to twelve feet high.
'Flame' is a dense shrub or small tree with red fruits and fiery red
fall color (Dirr 1990). 'Compactum' is dense and compact and shows
vigorous growth reaching between five to six feet. 'Durand Dwarf' is a
shrubby type, with branches more dense than 'Compactum', will grow three
to five feet high.

Consult your local nurseries to choose the right cultivar for your
specific landscape.

# References

Barnes, B.V. & W.H. Wagner, Jr. 1981. *Michigan trees*. The University
of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Dirr, M.A. 1997 *Dirr's hardy trees and shrubs: an illustrated
encyclopedia*. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon.

Dirr, M.A. 1990. *Manual of woody landscape plants: their
identification, ornamental characteristics, culture, propagation, and
uses*. 4^th^ ed. Stipes Publishing Co., Champaigne, Illinois.

Dirr, M.A. & C.W. Heuser, Jr. 1987. *The reference manual of woody plant
propagation: from seed to tissue culture*. Varsity Press, Athens,
Georgia.

Farrar, J.L. 1995. *Trees of the Northern United States and Canada*.
Iowa State University Press, Ames, Iowa.

Heuser, C.W. 1997. *The complete book of plant propagation*. The Taunton
Press, Newtown, Connecticut.

McMillan, B.P. 1985. *Hardy woody plants of North America*. Grower
Books.

McMinn, H.E. 1951. *An illustrated manual of California shrubs*.
University of California Press, Berkeley & Los Angeles, California.

Kunkel, G. 1984. *Plants for human consumption*. Koeltz Scientific
Books.

Rosendahl, C.O. 1955. *Trees & shrubs of the upper Midwest*. University
of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Taylor, N. 1965. *The guide to garden shrubs and trees*. Houghton
Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts.

USDA, NRCS 2000. *Conservation trees and shrubs for Montana*. Custer
County Soil Conservation District. Accessed: 10jan02.

\<http://www.mt.nrcs.usda.gov/pas/forestry/maple.html\>

Wyman, D. 1965. *Trees for American gardens*. The MacMillan Company, New
York, New York .

# Prepared By

#### *Jammie Favorite*, formerly USDA, NRCS, National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

# Species Coordinator

# *Lincoln M. Moore*, formerly USDA, NRCS, National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Edited: 10jan02 jsp; 14feb03 ahv; 24may06jsp; 080715 jsp

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your
local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS
Web site\<[http://plants.usda.gov](http://plants.usda.gov/)\> or the
Plant Materials Program Web site
\<[http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov](http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov/)\>

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