Acer pseudosieboldianum

purplebloom species

SapindaceaeAcer

Purple bloom maple or Korean maple is in the soapberry or Sapindaceae family and is native to China, Korea and the Russian Far East. It is a small tree or shrub, reaching up to 8 m in height.

  • Branchlets are sticky, long and slender; new growth is coated with white, sticky hairs (unlike the similar A. sieboldianum, which lacks hairs).
  • Leaves are deciduous, simple, opposite, papery, 10–15 cm across, with 9–11 lobes, lower surface densely white pubescent, margins double-serrate, apex acuminate; petiole 3.5–4 cm long, densely pubescent when young; they turn shades of red, yellow and orange in the fall and exhibit marcescence (holding a portion of the dried leaves over the winter).
  • Species is dioecious; pistillate flowers are white with purple bracts, in groups of 5.
  • Winged samaras are double, 3 cm long, purplish yellow, wings strongly veined, spreading obtusely, maturing in September.

Contributors

  • Philippe de Spoelberch