Acer spicatum Lam.

Mountain maple

Mountain maple is native to southeastern Canada and the northeastern United States.

Plants: A small tree or shrub, up to 33′ (10 m) in height, but usually much smaller, especially at the northern end of its range. The trunk is short, often crooked, and often shrublike. Bark is thin, dull gray-brown, and smooth, becoming somewhat scaly at the tree ages. This is easily confused with striped maple—both are found in mountain forests, and both are small trees with three-lobed leaves—but mountain maple is found at higher elevations. To further confuse matters, there is a western species, Acer glabrum, that is also called mountain maple. (See Acer for comparisons.)

Leaves: Opposite 2–4½″ (6–12 cm) in size, with 3 or 5 lobes that are coarsely and irregularly serrated. Each leaf has a light green hairless surface and a finely hairy underside. Leaves turn brilliant yellow to red in autumn.

Flowers: Upright or nodding, column-shaped panicles 1½–3″ tall ⨉ 1″ wide (3.8–7.6 ⨉ 2.5 cm). Flowers appear after leaves are fully developed. Male and female flowers are typically present in same cluster. All flowers are greenish yellow, ⅛″ (4.8 mm) across, with five thin linear petals 1/16–⅛″ (1.6–3.2 mm) long, and five sepals less than 1/16″ (1.6 mm) long. Male flowers have 7-8 stamens, while female flowers have two small pink stigmas. Flower stalks (pedicels) are hairy, and ¼–5/16″ (6.3–8.3 mm) long.

Fruits: Paired reddish or bright red samaras, ¾–1″ (2–3 cm) in size.

Habitats: In cool woods, at higher elevations, growing in shade or sun.

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Acer spicatum description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.

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