Acer griseumPaperbark maple

Native to central China, Acer griseum grows slowly as a small tree, often with several stems, reaching around 8 to 10 metres in height and 4 to 8 metres in spread. The crown, irregular and relatively open at first, acquires with age a rounded silhouette and branching of great sculptural quality.

The bark is its defining feature. On the older stems and branches it takes on shades of cinnamon, copper and reddish brown, peeling away in thin films that remain partly curled. When light passes through them, these sheets create translucencies and reflections that keep the tree visually active throughout the winter.

The leaves are made up of three dark green leaflets, grey-green on the underside. In autumn, the crown passes through a particularly rich sequence of yellow, orange, red and crimson. The small yellow-green flowers appear in spring, followed by a generally small number of samaras.

It prefers sun or partial shade and fertile, moist, well-drained soils, slightly acidic to neutral. In Portugal it benefits from a position sheltered from the most intense heat and from a regular supply of water during establishment. The root zone should have enough open soil, avoiding overly confined tree pits or impermeable paving close to the trunk.

It is especially suited as a specimen tree in gardens, large courtyards, entrances and compositions where it can be seen up close. Placing it in front of an evergreen backdrop or in an area lit by low sun brings out the translucency and colour of the bark. A mature specimen from Diaplant immediately brings the coppery trunk and the mature branching that this species takes many years to develop.