Acer argutum

Maxim. ex Miq.

Sapindaceae Edible: Sap 5 iNaturalist observations

iNaturalist· cc-by

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

Summary

Acer argutum, commonly known as pointed-leaf maple, is a species of deciduous flowering tree native to Japan. It is a member of the genus Acer, in the family Sapindaceae. It has an upright growth habit and can reach heights of 10 m (33 ft) tall.

Description

A shrub or small tree. It grows 5 m tall. There are prickles along the stem. The leaves are twice divided and there are 8-18 pairs of pinnae. There are up to 50 pairs of pinnules on each pinnae. The flowers are yellow. They are in large clusters at the ends of branches. The pods are flattened.

Edible Uses

The sap contains sugar and can be drunk fresh or concentrated into a syrup by boiling off the water, which is then used as a sweetener on many foods. The trunk is tapped in early spring, with the best flow occurring on warm sunny days following a frost. The highest sap yields come from trees grown in cold-winter areas with continental climates.

Medicinal Uses

None known

Distribution

It is a temperate plant.

Where It Grows

North America,

Cultivation

Of easy cultivation, it prefers a good moist well-drained soil in a sunny position but tolerates some shade. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Chlorosis can sometimes develop as a result of iron deficiency when the plants are grown in alkaline soils, but in general maples are not fussy as to soil pH. This species prefers its trunk in the shade. Most maples are bad companion plants, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants. Dioecious, male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

Propagation

Seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame, where it typically germinates the following spring. Stored seed should be pre-soaked for 24 hours and then stratified for 2–4 months at 1–8°C, though germination can still be slow. Seed harvested green — fully developed but before drying and forming germination inhibitors — can be sown immediately and should germinate in late winter; seed harvested too early produces very weak or no plants. Prick seedlings into individual pots and grow on until they reach at least 20cm before planting out permanently. Layering takes about 12 months and is successful with most species in this genus. Cuttings of young shoots taken in June or July should have 2–3 pairs of leaves plus one pair of buds at the base; removing a thin slice of bark at the base and using a rooting hormone improves success. Rooted cuttings must show new growth during summer before being potted up, otherwise they are unlikely to survive winter. Cuttings of this species root well.