This species is subdivided into a number of subspecies by some botanists - several of these subspecies were formerly recognized as distinct species (such as Acer mono Maxim.). We are following the proposed treatment (2016) in the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, which treats Acer pictum as a single, very variable species[].

Common Name:

General Information

Acer pictum is a deciduous tree with a rounded, spreading crown; it usually grows 9 - 12 metres tall with occasional specimens reaching 18 metres. The bole can be up to 100cm in diameter[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of wood. It can be used as an ornamental, making an excellent landscape tree with smaller forms suitable for the garden.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia and eastern Russia

Habitat

Hillsides, mountain valleys and forests from sea level to 1,800 metres in China[]. Usually on coastal hills exposed to sea breezes and marshy sites in the mountains or on dry ridges, but not in fertile well-drained soils[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	15.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Acer pictum is a moderately cold-hardy plant, able to tolerate temperatures down to around -20°c when dormant[].
Of easy cultivation, it prefers a good moist well-drained soil[] and a position that is at least moderately sunny[, ]. 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.
The best sap production comes from cold-winter areas with continental climates. The tree trunk is tapped in the early spring, the sap flowing better on warm sunny days following a frost.
A polymorphic species[], it is closely related to Acer truncatum[].
Most maples are bad companion plants, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants[, ].

Edible Uses

The sap contains a certain amount of sugar and can either be used as a drink, or can be concentrated into a syrup by boiling off the water[, ]. The syrup is used as a sweetener on many foods. The concentration of sugar is considerably lower than in the sugar maples (A. saccharum). The tree trunk is tapped in the early spring, the sap flowing better on warm sunny days following a frost. The best sap production comes from cold-winter areas with continental climates.

Leaves - cooked. A famine food, they are only used when all else fails[].

Medicinal

The leaves are an irritant[].

The bark is astringent[].

Other Uses

We have two reports that the leaves of maple species, when laid in layers between crops such as apples, carrots and potatoes, have a preservative effect[, ]. The reports do not name any specific species[].

Wood - hard, close grained[].
The wood is used as a fuel[].

Propagation

Seed of this species is rarely available. If obtained, it is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame, it usually germinates in the following spring. Pre-soak stored seed for 24 hours and then stratify for 2 - 4 months at 1 - 8°c. It can be slow to germinate. The seed can be harvested 'green' (when it has fully developed but before it has dried and produced any germination inhibitors) and sown immediately. It should germinate in late winter. If the seed is harvested too soon it will produce very weak plants or no plants at all[, ]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on until they are 20cm or more tall before planting them out in their permanent positions.
Layering, which takes about 12 months, is successful with most species in this genus.
Cuttings of young shoots in early summer . The cuttings should have 2 - 3 pairs of leaves, plus one pair of buds at the base. Remove a very thin slice of bark at the base of the cutting, rooting is improved if a rooting hormone is used. The rooted cuttings must show new growth during the summer before being potted up otherwise they are unlikely to survive the winter.
Grafting onto the roots of A. platanoides is usually successful, but the graft should be made as low as possible to reduce the incident of suckers from the rootstock.