Acer truncatum
a perennial woody deciduous member of the Acer genus in the family Aceraceae.
Taxonomy and growth
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - roasted[1][5]. Rather small and fiddly to utilize[K].
- Plant part
- Seed
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The leaves are packed around apples, rootcrops etc to help preserve them[6][7].
- Product or use
- Preservative
Ecology and functions
- Ecosystem niche
- Secondary canopy
Environment
- Range
- E. Asia - N. China, Korea, Manchuria.
- Habitat
- Deciduous oak forests at elevations of 400 - 1000 metres in China[9].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 6+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay, heavy clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame, it usually germinates in the following spring. The seed of this species has hypogeal germination, that is the true seed leaves remain below the soil and the first leaves to appear above soil level are true leaves. Pre-soak stored seed for 24 hours and then stratify for 2 - 4 months at 1 - 8°c. It can be slow to germinate. The seed can be harvested 'green' (when it has fully developed but before it has dried and produced any germination inhibitors) and sown immediately. It should germinate in late winter. If the seed is harvested too soon it will produce very weak plants or no plants at all[10][3]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on until they are 20cm or more tall before planting them out in their permanent positions. Layering, which takes about 12 months, is successful with most species in this genus. Cuttings of young shoots in June or July. The cuttings should have 2 - 3 pairs of leaves, plus one pair of buds at the base. Remove a very thin slice of bark at the base of the cutting, rooting is improved if a rooting hormone is used. The rooted cuttings must show new growth during the summer before being potted up otherwise they are unlikely to survive the winter.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Of easy cultivation, it prefers a good moist well-drained soil[2] and a sunny position but tolerates some shade[2][8]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Chlorosis can sometimes develop as a result of iron deficiency when the plants are grown in alkaline soils, but in general maples are not fussy as to soil pH. Plants produce prodigious root growth but little top growth in first year from seed[4]. This species is closely related to A. mono[2]. Most maples are bad companion plants, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants[6][7].
References
Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00
Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00
Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009
Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 1. Thompson and Morgan. 1987-00-00
Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169
Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants. Watkins 1979-00-00
Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. 1978-00-00 ISBN 0-88266-064-0
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
McMillan-Browse. P. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-901361-21-6