Hello everyone our campus has just planted a grove of 3 snake bark maples. All are (I think?) the same species but they have no labels on them. they are about 2.5m tall with about a 5-7cm calliper I think they could be Acer pensylvanicum or Acer tegmentosum but I'm not sure thanks in advance for any identification
Hi Pierrot, I think it will be very difficult to ID these from photos, unless you get the shoots when bare of leaves. Be aware that they also hybridize extremely freely, to the point that it is unusual to obtain a true subject from a garden source. So your best bet is to ask someone on campus. The main difference between tegmentosum and pensylvanicum is that the young shoots one the former are pruinose, covered with a glaucus bloom, which you can rub off with your fingers. This is the source of the epithet of the maple: tegmentosus = covered, hidden. (Hardy). Or such was my assumption until I just looked at the source material, where he says it's because the leaves cover and hide the branches. Perhaps either explanation is valid. Otherwise they are very similar, I find the bark on pensylvanicum a little browner and less contrasted. If you showed me these photos and said "Check out these A. tegmentosum" I wouldn't blink Not sure that helps much, but for what it's worth! -E
Merci Emery That ius what I was thinking I will have to wait to see the bare shoots. I am leaning towards tegmentosum. I’ll try to track down the garden staff but they are notorious for not keeping records
