Shangtung maple is a deciduous tree in the maple family (Sapindaceae) native to China. The genus name means maple in Latin. Specific epithet means cut off square in reference to the square base of the leaves. It is heat and drought-tolerant once established and grows in average well-drained soils in full sun to partial shade. It will grow 20-25 feet tall and 15-20 feet wide with a dense rounded crown. The flowers occur in spring and are not ornamentally significant. Leaves are 5-lobed and have excellent fall colors in yellow, orange and red. The size of this tree makes it a good shade tree for smaller yards or as a street tree under utilty lines. Use it as a specimen in an Asian-themed garden. It attracts moth larvae making it an excellent addition to a pollinator or nighttime garden. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems. See potential insect and disease problem fact sheets to the left. The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common maple diseases and insect pests. More information on Acer .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Often confused withAcer Crimson Sunset® 'JFS-KW202'Acer platanoides
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
12-24 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 20 ft. 0 in. - 25 ft. 0 in. | Width: 15 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Broad; Erect; Rounded
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Palmasect
Leaf margin
Entire; Lobed
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 3-6 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
3 to 5 in. opposite, simple leaves with 5 lobes and 2 spurs on the basal lobes point to petiole base. Yellow, orange, and red fall color. Leaf stems bleed a milky sap if broken.
Fall color
Gold/Yellow; Orange; Red/Burgundy
Flower color
Gold/Yellow
Flower form
Corymb; Insignificant
Flower detail
Greenish-yellow flowers in clusters in April/May
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit type
Samara
Fruit size
1-3 inches long
Fruit detail
Winged double samara to 1.5 inches forming an angle of about 90 degrees.
Bark color
Light Brown; Light Gray
Bark detail
Often tinged in purple when young. Older branches assume a gray-brown color. Mature trunks are rough and fissured.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Moderate, lustrous, reddish brown, glabrous, slightly lenticelled. Leaf scars meet at a point.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Northern China, Manchuria, Korea
Wildlife value
Members of the genus Acer support Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south. Adult Imperial Moths do not feed.
Attracts
Moths; Pollinators
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Samara
Uses (ethnobotany)
Small landscape tree or street tree. Specimen around the home for patios and small areas.