Habitat

• native to Japan
• zone 5

Habit and Form

• probably an understory tree in native haunts
• deciduous, small tree, 20' to 25' in landscapes
• vase-shaped, oval or eventually rounded
• often multistemmed

Summer Foliage

• opposite, unlobed 3" to 5" long leaves
• leaves are atypical for maple and resemble those of Carpinus caroliniana
• dark green, slight bronze color on emerging leaves

Autumn Foliage

• bronze, gold or brown
• leaves may persist into winter

Flowers

• greenish, in May
• short racemes

Fruit

• samaras, around 0.75" long

Bark

• smooth and gray

Culture

• prefers moist, well-drained soil
• full sun to partial shade, but trees in full sun grow more vigorously

Landscape Uses

• small lawn tree or patio plant
• specimen
• woods edge

Liabilities

• rare, will be difficult to locate in commerce

ID Features

• unique, hornbeam-shaped leaves lacking typical "maple lobes"
• can be distinguished from Carpinus because leaves are opposite on maples

Propagation

• probably seed
• reported to root from August cuttings

Cultivars/Varieties

• none