Acer velutinum UWBG Washington Park Arboretum, Seattle; accession 1982. Native to the Caucasus and northern Iran; propagated readily from seed, but is rare in horticulture. Leaves: 5-lobed, 15-25 cm across, glaucous beneath or with a yellow-brown tomentum along the nerves, bases almost cordate, lobes ovate; margins coarsely serrate to lobulate; petioles 10-25 cm long. Acer velutinum, the velvet maple, is one of the largest maples; very few species grow faster or taller. It grows to a huge tree of 25 m tall with large leaves, surpassed in size only by Acer macrophyllum. Van Gelderen, et al. Maples of the World (Timber Press 1994).
Leaves rather similar to A. pseudoplatanus (which can be very nearly as large and long-petioled), but very different, non-pendulous flowers
Possibly a long forgotten thread but for completeness I have attached a picture of the erect flower spikes of Acer velutinum in contrast to the closely related Acer pseudoplatanus that are pendulous. The leaves of Acer velutinum are truly huge, perhaps just less in extent than Acer macrophyllum but by leave volume they seem larger as they are less deeply "cut". There are a couple of variants, I am not sure which I have though it may be var. vanvolxemii as it is only pubescent alone the nerves.
Autumn colour is a pleasant yellow but not spectacular. Changes late in season, the leaves have rough texture which isn't glossy and seem to shrivel quickly. it is better than the average pseudplatanus though. No photos of it suggests better colour around.
