Maple, Amur

Acer ginnala, Deciduous

Amur maple is an introduced, deciduous large shrub or small tree. It can be grown as a multi-stemmed clump or trained into a small tree with a single trunk. It can also be sheared into a hedge.

Where To Grow

This maple grows best in moist well-drained soil, but can tolerate a wide variety of soils, poor soil fertility, and are pH adaptable. It shows excellent tolerance to dry and alkaline soils and is reasonably drought tolerant. It will tolerate shade but develops a better fall color if grown in full sun. Does best in colder climates with cool summers. 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 is also used for windbreaks, tree strips, or protecting livestock.

state outline — Suitable to plant throughout the state.

Size at Maturity

Tree Height	Tree Spread
20'	15'

Tree Characteristics

Amur maple is an introduced, deciduous large shrub or small tree. The leaves are simple, opposite; eight to ten centimeters long, and coarsely toothed. The fragrant, creamy white flowers appear with the new foliage in April and May. 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.

Additional Considerations

It is more shade tolerant than most maples, giving it the potential for spreading. Combined with its aggressive nature, it can cause real problems for native forests. For these reasons, caution should be used before planting near intact woodlands.

Interesting Facts

The yellow-white flowers appear from May-June after the tree has leafed out. These flowers, unlike those of most maples, are fragrant.

Additional Images

References

Tips for planting success
NRCS Plant Guide
Developed by Justin Evertson, Kyle Martens, and Denise Wally