Amur maple (Acer ginnala) (now A. tataricum ssp. ginnala) is a lovely small sized tree from China, Manchuria and Japan. It has long been popular in residential areas in the Midwest and Eastern U.S. and is slowly being planted in the mid-South (USDA hardiness zones 6 and 7). Extreme summer heat may limit its use.

Amur maple starts out slowly. In its first 10 years, tree height and width may range from 10 to 12 feet, eventually to full maturity of 25 feet. Its low multi-branched form makes it a good choice for shading a home deck or patio. It is a low expense option for creating a deciduous privacy screen. Some nurseries are now training Amur maple as a small-sized street tree.

It grows well in average well-drained soil in full sun to light shade. Soil pH sensitivity is not an issue with this maple species. An established tree handles high winds and dry soils well. Leaves are tolerant of urban air pollution and coastal salt problems. Its dark green summer foliage stays mostly disease and pest free.

Clusters of creamy white flowers open in mid-spring and are mildly fragrant, an unusual trait in maples. The 3-lobed dark green leaves feature a long central lobe and have toothed edges. Some cultivars set showy double-winged red samara fruits at summer’s end.

Autumn leaf colors are a mix of yellow and red, variable on seed- produced trees. A number of new grafted cultivars have been selected for outstanding features:
•’Embers’- exhibits bright red autumn color and red fruit in August.
•’Flame’- exhibits fiery red autumn leaf color and red fruit; densely leaved shrub or small tree.
• Red November™ – super green summer foliage, with good heat tolerance for the Southeast U.S.; bright red fall foliage color which develops later than most cultivars.