Both of these maples were grown from seed. Seed for the smaller-lobed leaf was collected in Nova Scotia on a roadside in the country in September of 2005. My notes say"maple-like seed but leaf is ovate, doubletoothed, serrate, long-tipped, light green, slightly whitened below, longer petiole, leaf about the size of a typical hawthorne". I did not note whether twigs were opposite but the seedlings (10 inches high) are holding to that characteristic. As I recall this was shrublike and only 6 to 8 feet tall. At least it was not a big tree. (The leaf picture may be presenting juvenile characteristics since the leaf is from a seedling.) Seed for the deeply-lobed leaf was probably collected from someone's garden or a park. This tree has red twigs (new-growth) and red petioles. It is growing quite quickly (faster than a silver maple) with small leaves and slender rather upright branches (looks shruuby).
The juvenile leaves do make an identification more difficult. Acer spicatum is also native to Nova Scotia. [FONT="]http://www.ibiblio.org/botnet/flora/images/Acer_spicatum003.jpg. [/FONT]I wish that I were as organized as you to take such good notes.
Thank you all for steering me in the right direction. Pictures in the Maple Photo Gallery lead me to tentatively to decide on Acer tartaricum sp tartaricum. Time will tell!
