More Maple trees identification
Here are five less common Maples which have unusual leaves, fruit or bark. For information on the five most common Maples Click HERE.
More Maple trees identification – leaf shape, colour and arrangement, fruit or bark – Paper-bark, Box Elder, Cappadocian, Red Snake-bark and Red. Many of the common Maples have 5-lobed leaves but some species have leaves that are trifoliate, pinnate, 3 or 5 lobed or whiskered and have distinctive bark or unusual fruit.
The Paper-bark Maple Acer griseum leaf is trifoliate, which means it is divided into 3 leaflets. This is unusual, but not unique, in Maples. Normally Maples have a single 5-lobed leaf. Photo taken in May.
The Box Elder Acer negundo has leaves that are pinnate with 3 to 7 leaflets. This leaf has 3 leaflets. The leaflets may or may not have lobes. For more information on this tree click HERE
The Cappadocian Maple Acer cappadocicum leaf has 5 whisker-tipped lobes
The Red Snake-bark Maple Acer capillipes leaf has 3 or 5 lobes and is dark green above with a red stalk
The Red Maple Acer rubrum leaf has 3 or 5 lobes. The leaf is quite variable in shape with the lobes cut to various depths, but never as far as the leaf of the Silver Maple. Also the teeth are smaller. The leaf turns scarlet in September.
Paper-bark Maple has bark, which is dark red and peels back in scrolls, hence its name. Its bark is so unusual that the tree has been widely planted as an ornamental tree in many parks and gardens.
Box Elder fruits in September. Each female flower develops into a winged fruit, called a samara. Wings are very close together.
The female part of the Cappadocium Maple flower grows into a winged fruit, technically known as a samara. The wings are widely spread. Photo taken in September.
The bark of young Red Snake-bark Maple trees is dark green with white ‘snakes’ running up it. Older trees may not have these markings.
The Red Maple tree in October
Paper-bark Maple terminal bud and two lateral buds
Box Elder buds are silky grey-brown on grey shoots.
Cappadocian Maple buds are red-brown
Red Snake-bark Maple buds are red oval-shaped and stalked
Red Maple buds are small and red-brown