Trident maple is an East Asian tree with leaves that have three forward-pointing tips. In the United States, trident maple is grown along streets and in gardens for its compact crown, peeling bark, and yellow, orange, or red fall color.
Appearance
Appearance
It is a , oval-to-rounded tree, usually 25–35 ft (8–11 m) tall and 15–25 ft (5–8 m) wide in landscapes. Gray bark becomes scaly and flakes away to show orange-brown inner bark.
Leaves
Leaves grow in opposite pairs and are usually 1.5–3.5 in (4–9 cm) long. Their three forward-pointing lobes resemble a trident, and the green summer foliage can turn yellow, orange, or red in fall.
Flowering time
Small, inconspicuous flowers appear in clusters in early spring.
Trident maple usually has three shallow, forward-pointing lobes. Japanese maple usually has five to seven lobes cut much more deeply toward the leaf base.
Why they get mixed up · Both are small Asian maples widely planted for fall color.
Count the main leaf lobes: Trident maple normally has three, while Shandong maple has five.
Why they get mixed up · Both are cultivated Asian maples with glossy green leaves.
Where it lives
Typical habitats
street plantings
parks
home landscapes
Range
It is native to southern and eastern China and Taiwan, not the United States. In the U.S. it is a cultivated landscape tree.
Preferred conditions
It grows in full sun and moist, well-drained soil, and it becomes moderately drought tolerant after establishment. It can be grown in 5–9 and tolerates some alkaline soil and road salt.
Growing it
Care
This maple fits streets and smaller yards and can also be trained as bonsai. The cultivar Streetwise has red-purple new leaves and burgundy-red fall color.
Name and classification
Varieties and forms
Cultivars vary in leaf color and shape. There is also a variety found in Taiwan.
Conservation
IUCN Red List
LCLeast Concern·Low risk of extinction
Culture and stories
Culture and stories
The name “Trident maple” refers to the leaf's three pointed lobes.