Acer negundo 'VARIEGATUM' ash-leaved maple, box-elder
Acer
Shapes and colours are usually the key features of Japanese maples. But there are other maples, too, that can offer other than green colour plus various leaf shapes. And on top of that they grow much faster.This is ash-leaved maple, also called box elder. Variegatum is a popular variety with pinnate leaves that are white and green and the ratio between the two colours is nearly 50:50 so the tree does look very white. The leaves are composed of 3-7 individual leaflets and are deciduous. In the nursery trade you can get shrub forms as well as half-standards, and obviously standard trees that look best, all of which show a dense habit and plentiful of bright foliage to admire.
Ash-leaved maple is a fast grower which can be pruned to achieve dense plants in smaller sizes or left to its own devices and you can be assured that it will develop a nice shape naturally once established. It can take almost any well-drained soil but prefers constant moisture. Grow it in full sun or a very light shade. Very hardy to approx. -45°C (USDA zone 2).
Last update 28-07-2011
