Scientific Family
Aceraceae
Synonyms
Acer grandidentata
Other common names
dwarf maple
scrub maple
western sugar maple
canyon maple
Plant type
Trees
Riparian
No
Plant Description
Origin
Native
Similar species
Acer glabrum
A medium size tree with a spreading, rounded dense crown and a short trunk. Can be a small multi-stemmed shrub in dry areas and more tree-like in moist cool areas.
Relatively thick leaves, soft hairs below, hand-shaped (palmate) with 3 major lobes, major lobes further divided into 3 to 5 weak lobes or teeth; flowers in clusters, bright green, small, rounded and cup-like, inconspicuous petals are greenish-yellow.
Height
10 to 40 feet
Width
15 feet
Habitat
Habitat description
Found in canyons and coniferous forests.
Plant Community
Pinyon Juniper Woodlands
Montane Conifer Forest
Low elevation
4500
High elevation
7000
Leaves
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf shape
Palmate
Leaf margin
Lobed
Leaf hairs
Bottom of leaves
Spines
No
Leaf Drop
Deciduous
Leaves are shiny and dark above, pale and finely hairy beneath with 3 major lobes, major lobes divided into 3 to 5 blunt lobes. Leaves are 2 to 3-1/2 inches long and wide and turn red, orange and yellow in the autumm.
Flowers
Flower color
Bright green to greenish-yellow
Flower shape
Regular
Tubular
No
First bloom month
April
Last bloom month
April
Flowers vary, can be stamens only, pistils only, and some with both stamens and pistils. Male and female flowers can be on the same or different plants. Flowers are without petals, stamens 7 or 8, both pistils and stamens exert beyond the flowers.
Flower clusters
Rounded
Fruit
Fruit color
Green or reddish
Fruit type
Winged
2 large fruits, fused in the middle and long-winged, up to 2 inches long, hairless, 1-seeded, with round seed cavity. Matures in fall.