Habitat

• native to China, Manchuria and Korea
• zone 4

Habit and Form

• deciduous
• a small tree, 20' to 25' tall
• rounded, broad crown with regular branching
• texture is medium

Summer Foliage

• opposite, 3" to 5" wide and not as long
• 5-lobed, lobes triangular, two basal lobes drawn out and narrow, lobes untoothed
• 2 spurs on the basal lobes point to petiole base
• milky sap
• on first inspection may be confused with Acer platanoides
• glossy green, good quality in summer; may emerge reddish

Autumn Foliage

• usually yellow and orange with some red

Flowers

• greenish yellow in May

Fruit

• samaras, 1.25" to 1.5" long

Bark

• gray brown on older branches and trunk
• twigs may have purplish cast

Culture

• apparently adaptable and hardy, but uncommon, so data is limited
• have observed trees growing well that were in compacted, dry soils
• full sun provides for best landscape development
  

Landscape Uses

• good for small residences as shade tree

Liabilities

• seems to be relatively problem free based on limited data
• tar spot has been observed

ID Features

• milky foliage sap
• unique leaf shape

Propagation

• by seed, but seed viability in the U.S. may be low
• can also root stem cuttings of young plants

Cultivars/Varieties

subsp. mono - Known as the Painted Maple, this plant is similar to A. truncatum, but could be described as more refined. Has more ornamental bark and "boxier" leaves. Vase-shaped with a dome-like canopy.