Acer rufinerve

Redvein maple, or also called Honshu maple according to its origin, belongs among acer species such as a. davidii or a. griseum sought after for their beautiful bark. Its natural habitat are mountainous forests of Japan, the islands of Honshu, Kyushu, and Shikoku. Even young plants show distinctly coloured bark with alternating, vertical, medium green to olive green and gray stripes which in autumn and winter can take on a rusty orange to reddish hue. On younger trunks appear diamond-shaped marks which disappear with age. The older the tree, the lighter coloured and smoother bark they have.

The deciduous leaves are trifoliate, 8-16 cm long and wide, medium green in summer and golden yellow and bright scarlet red in autumn. It shows its autumn colour early in season and holds it for 3-4 weeks. Tiny, yellow-green, dioecious flowers are arranged in clusters up to 10 cm long and appear in the first half of spring (each sex on a different tree). They are followed by samaras, 2-3 cm long winged seeds.

Redvein maple grows fast, young trees can grow 30 to 50 cm per year. It naturally forms upright, narrowly funnel-shaped, ascending crowns, and in my opinion the most beautiful form of cultivation is a multi-stem. It easy to create because this maple naturally makes multiple branches from the ground out of which you select 2-3 strongest trunks which will make a future framework of your multi-stem. Remove all lateral twigs on them to the height where you want to establish a crown or where you want it to branch out. Pruning should be done at any time during the frost-free periods of winter, thin and short branches can be removed also in summer. As it grows fast and is not very dense on its own, we recommend trimming the crowns in small gardens, preferably into a dome-shaped head which will make a stunning display of autumn-coloured leaves.

Grow it in any well-drained soil that will not remain dry. It prefers slightly acidic pH in which it offers richer autumn colours. It can be grown in full sun and part shade where its fall colour may get weaker. Redvein maple is sensitive to road salt and detests paving. It is commonly hardy to min. -30 ° C and is also grown in colder zones, where it forms smaller shrubs. It tolerates windy and exposed sites.
Last update 13-11-2021