Acer truncatum
Common name: 
Purpleblow Maple
Shantung Maple
Pronunciation: 
A-ser trun-KA-tum
Family: 
Sapinaceae, Aceraceae
Genus: 
Type: 
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon: 
No
  • Deciduous tree, 20-30 ft (6-9 m) tall, similar spread, bark tinged with purple when young, rough and fissured when older.  Leaves simple, opposite, 7-10 cm wide, 5-7 triangular-shaped lobes, basal lobes drawn out, base sometimes truncated, dark green above, paler below, fall color yellow to reddish, new leaves purplish; milky sap exuded when petiole broken.  Flowers yellow-green, in 6-8 cm wide, upright clusters (corymbs).  Fruit (samaras) 3-4 cm long, forming about a 90° angle.
  • Sun to part shade.  A relatively tough tree, heat and drought tolerant.  Promoted as tree with good fall color in warm areas.
  • Hardy to USDA Zone 4         Native to the forests of northern China (used as a street tree) and Korea and the Amur region of Siberia in Russia.
  • truncatum: cut off square, a reference to the blade base
  • A few cultivars are available (e.g., Metro Maples) as will as hybrids of Acer truncatum × Acer platanoides.  Keith Warren, at J. Frank Schmidt Nursery, Boring, Oregon, introduced the following such crosses 
    • Acer Norwegian Sunset™ : its name reflects the similarity of the tree to a Norway Maple (A. platanoides), in growth rate, branch structure, and leaf shape.  
    • Acer Pacific Sunset™: in comparison to Norwegian Sunset™, it has a finer branch structure, is more spreading, and slightly brighter fall color.
    • These were followed by: Crimson Sunset®, purple-maroon foliage; Ruby Sunset®glossy green leaves, red in fall; Urban Sunset®compact, upright, glossy green, deep red in fall.
  • Botanica, Wichita, Kansas
Click image to enlarge
  • flowering branch, spring

    flowering branch, spring

  • flower cluster

    flower cluster

  • flower

    flower

  • plant habit

    plant habit

  • plant habit

    plant habit

  • leaves and fruit

    leaves and fruit

  • leaf

    leaf

  • plant habit, fall

    plant habit, fall

  • leaf, fall

    leaf, fall

  • trunk, bark

    trunk, bark

  • winter twigs, buds

    winter twigs, buds