UBC Accession #039509-5700-2000 (the year - last part of the number- is a best guess from another very out-of-focus photo) Alpine Garden, near the Old Marine Drive fence Photo by Wendy Cutler May 31, 2012 These leaves are not as elongated as others I'm seeing, for instance Daniel Mosquin's photo in this Acer caudatifolium ETOT.21 posting of a somewhat older tree. One posting in the Maples forum does mention the variability of leaf shape in younger trees.
Might turn out to be Acer rubescens, because the 2002 Hillier Manual of Trees & Shrubs (Hillier Nurseries) says A. caudatifolium has been confused with that one, with "many plants distributed recently" actually being A. rubescens. It also says you can tell A. caudatifolium apart by it having dull leaves with no lobes or 3 shallow lobes at the base, mostly twice as long (or more) as broad and tapering to a long point. One I grew on Camano Island for some years had leaves that fit the Hillier description. It froze out during a recent winter, after growing to about head height I guess.
