Canyon Maple

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Acer grandidentatum

FAMILY: Aceraceae

This tree in Colorado: Canyon maple is native tree to many parts of western Colorado. It has splendid fall color which makes it exceptionally appealing. The smaller, compact size of this tree also adds another small tree to the designers pallet. It isn't a common tree at the commercial nurseries either so it may take a little work on your part to find one.

Hardiness zones: 5a to 8a

Growth rate: Medium. Can be kept as a multi-stem shrub or pruned into a tree. Mature height is 25' to 50' / 7.60m to 15.20m.

Foliage: The leaves are palmately three- to five-lobed and mostly 1 to 4 inches (2.5-10 cm) wide.

Fruit: The fruit is a double-winged samara. The wings are about 0.75 to 1.25 inches (1.9-3.2 cm) long.

Best advice: This is a very good tree that should be used much more, especially now that a grafted cultivar is available. It is very tolerant of our soils and climate. Prefers partial shade or partial sun to full sun; soil should be moist to wet.

Information sources: Michael Dirr, Manual of Woody Landscape Plants (University of Georgia, 1990)Michael Kuhns, Trees of Utah and the Intermountain West (Utah State University Press, 1998)

Photo by university of Utah