Japanese name: コミネカエデ Scientific name:Acer micranthum
[Overview]
A small deciduous tree found in mountain beech forests and similar places, 1–5 m tall, with large ones exceeding 10 m.
The trunk is erect.
The leaves are opposite, 4–9 cm in both length and width, palmately divided into 5–7 lobes, with incised, doubly serrate margins.
The tips of the leaf lobes extend into long tails.
The petiole is shorter than the leaf, 2–5 cm long.
The leaves turn red in autumn.
A raceme 4–10 cm long emerges at the branch tip and bears 20–30 flowers.
It is dioecious or monoecious.
The flowers have 5 sepals and 5 petals.
The petals are yellowish green.
The fruits are about 1.5–2 cm long and borne in pairs, each with a propeller-like wing; the wings spread almost horizontally.
[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed or cuttings.
It prefers a well-drained place from partial shade to full sun.
Partial shade is better, especially while the tree is young.
In shade, the autumn color develops poorly.
Longhorn beetles and aphids cause damage, so kill them as soon as they are found.
