Here images of three different Acer truncatum also known as "Purple-blow Maple" and/or "Shantung Maple". This species grows to as much as 45' or more but is more often listed in the U.S. as a 20'-25' tree. It produces a broad, round crown. Growth rate is reported to be slow. Closely related to Acer pictum this species has been hybridized with Acer platanoides to produce some commercially available cultivars i.e. 'Keithsform' and 'Warrenred'. I prefer the straight species myself. It is hardy to zone 5, extremely drought tolerent and pest and disease resistant. It has a deeply ridged trunk which sets it apart from most other maples but the species name,"truncatum", is in reference to the truncate leaf base. New growth emerges as a sort of purple/orange color turning to a glossy,medium green for the remainder of the growing season. In fall the color is predominantly a buttery yellow with some orange and a a little red. Some people have expressed concern that this species will self sow and become a weed tree problem but I have never seen any volunteers in any adjacent areas around the plantings of this species here in the Tennessee Valley. The features of this tough little maple make it an ideal candidate for urban plantings.
One in the Washington Park Arboretum, Seattle measured 29' x 4'0" x 49' in 1993. Ref: Van Pelt, Champion Trees of Washington State (Washington)
W Division St, Mount Vernon, WA is lined with some street trees currently a good, deep red. I assume them to be the 'Warrenred' hybrid cultivar.
Without going back and studying the Mount Vernon trees I'm not certain they aren't, in fact, pure Shantung maples. Thought at first to be hybrids because leaves probably too big, plus the two K. Warren selections are being planted alot on streets here now. These particular ones are a little older, however.
I have several 20 footer Shantung maples that have mega blooms this spring. They are quite a site. Much brighter than the red blooms on Acer rubrums.
As with many maples, A. truncatum shows a great deal of variability in the shape and color of the leaves, even in the same plant as can be seen in the third pic taken end of April. My tree has been grown from seed collected, selected and planted by an arboretum. The fist two pics are from early April. Gomero
This one bloomed for 10 days before the leaves emerge. Usually the leaves appear a couple of days after the blooms.
San Antonio Botanical Garden. 08-24-07. This was a fairly large tree. But I did not notice any seeds. I guess it takes a long time for the plant to mature. The species tolerates hot Texas climate well.
Seedlings grown by me. Starting a new batch of seedlings this year to look for unique shape/growth color/etc. The first picture shows summer growth which I thought was interesting. It practically glows in the sun. Usually, the summer growth is purple or red. It seemed to have a nice bright yellow fall color. The second picture shows late summer growth but I liked its leaf shape. It turned out to be my fastest growing one and just planted it last fall. I have many more Shantung maples in the containers that I will eventually sell or give away. I will continue to add pictures of what I've grown at home as a hobby and from Metro Maples where I got 'Fire Dragon' (red fall color), 'Skinny Dragon' (thin lobes;yellow fall color), 'Golden Dragon' (consistent leaf shape; nice brilliant yellow fall color), 'T.A.R.P Dragon' (test plant to see if it's a dwarf or semi-dwarf; still undermined), 'Blaine's Dragon' (another red fall color) and 'Doric Dragon' (narrow columnar tree). I also planted one of seedlings to see if it is a dwarf or not. It's only 14 inches after two years despite aggressive fertilizing.
Two seedlings, the first one in a bonsai pot, the second one in a regular plastic pot. Different locations, and different soil mix too :
Hi D, yes, the trees (6 or 7 of them planted close together ) are on the Yale School of Medicine campus in New Haven, Connecticut.
