Acer griseum |
Native Region: China
Zone Range: 5-9
Preferred Climate: Full/semi sun; well draining evenly moist soil.
Harvest Date: Saturday 29 September, 2012
Seed count: 15-20
Description:
Beautiful paper thin peeling cinnamon coloured layered bark. If this wasn't distinctive enough, the green trifoliate leaves are often coarsely serrated or lobed. Autumn colour consists of brilliant oranges and reds. A very distinctive and unusual maple. Relatively slow grower that will eventually reach 14 meters tall with about equal spread in 50 years. Tolerant of clay soils and hardy enough to be used as a street tree in full sun. No pest problems.
Notes:
Germination cut test: +80%. I highly recommend baggie sowing this species as the number of A. griseum seedlings vastly exceed any germinated via traditional pot/container/nursery bed sowing. Seed needs to need a hot dry cycle after cold stratification. See our 'special species tricks' article. This is a tough species where the seed can withstand conditions others would perish.
Cultivation:
Seed will be undergoing warm/cold stratification. When receiving this seed, sow it in a baggie half filled with a moist medium of equal parts sand & peat and continue with the stratification process. Should remain in the baggie until the seedling emerges from the seed coat as if the seed coat dries, it can clamp down on the emerging seedling...this is potentially lethal. Prick out and transplant as the seedling is free of the seed coat. Though very rewarding to grow, this species needs some patience as 18 months seems to be the necessary time required for proper germination...if you're going to wait, this is why you plant more than one seed.
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