Acer buergerianum
Common name: 
Trident Maple
Three-toothed Maple
Pronunciation: 
A-ser ber-jer-ee-A-num
Family: 
Sapindaceae, Aceraceae
Genus: 
Acer
Type: 
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon: 
No
  • Deciduous tree, 20-35+ ft (6-11+ m) high, oval to rounded outline.  Bark attractive, gray-brown with orange; exfoliating, scaly.  Leaves opposite, simple, 4-9 cm long and wide, rounded or wedge-shaped at base, 3-lobed, 3 major veins, lobes are triangular and point forward, margin entire or slightly serrate, very lustrous dark green above, petiole about as long as the bade; fall color yellow, orange and red.  Small greenish yellow flowers are hardly noticeable.   Fruit (samara) about 2 cm long wings, parallel.
  • Sun. Well-drained acid soil.  Drought resistant.
  • Hardy to USDA Zone 5      Native to eastern China and Korea.   Introduced into England in 1896.  There are several cultivars, mostly of Japanese origin and not generally available (van Gelderen and van Gelderen, 1999), However, a dwarf cultivar, 'Miyasama yatsubusa' is available.  A somewhat recent U.S. introduction is Streetwise® (or Street Wise®)
  • buergerianum: after H. Buerger (1804-1858), a plant hunter in Japan for the Dutch government.  trident:  3-pronged spear in classical mythology, a reference to the 3-pointed lobes of a leaf.
  • Portland, Oregon: Hoyt Arboretum
  • Corvallis: west side of tennis courts at Cloverland Park, Garfield Ave. & 29th St.
Click image to enlarge
  • plant habit

    plant habit

  • leaves

    leaves

  • expanding leaves and developing clusters

    expanding leaves and developing clusters

  • flower cluster development

    flower cluster development

  • flowers to fruit

    flowers to fruit

  • leaves and fruit, summer

    leaves and fruit, summer

  • leaves and fruit, fall

    leaves and fruit, fall

  • trunk, bark

    trunk, bark

  • bark

    bark

  • winter twigs and buds

    winter twigs and buds