While modern plant explorations seeking new specimens still occur, the glory days of wild collecting are finished. Small gardens need small maples and these are showing promise for Ohio nurseries and landscapes. As with other maples they are relatively free of diseases and pests but under intense cultivation and fertilization may require a little more attention, especially during the initial stages. Some of these plants never made it into widespread cultivation due to difficulties in propagation, but reliable seed sources and liners are currently available. These maples have features which merit their addition to almost any garden.
Leaves are a light green color, slightly bullate or blistered, coarsely toothed with five lobes.
Native to Manchuria and China the tree produces a yellow fall color early in the season. A. mandshuricum is a small tree which looks very similar to A. griseum although it does not share the cinnamon colored exfoliating bark. Ultimately it will reach about 30 feet in height at maturity. Leaves are trifoliate, smooth on the surface but with serrated margins. In mid autumn the tree puts on a beautiful display of bright red foliage.