Scientific Name: Acer japonicum 'Aconitifolium'
Common Name: fernleaf maple, full moon maple
Family Name: Sapindaceae
Origin: S.E. Asia / Japan / China
Hardiness Zone: Zone 5: (-29 to -23 °C)
Plant Type: Tree - deciduous
Mature Size: 3 - 5m x 5 - 7m (height x width)
Habit: Open, Spreading, Twiggy, Upright
Form: Oval - horizontal
Texture: Medium
Landscape Uses: Accent plant, Container planting, Fall interest, Shade tree, Small garden/space, Specimen plant, Woodland margin
Exposure: Part sun/part shade, Filtered shade
Soil or Media: Humus rich, Well-drained
Leaves: Simple, Lobed, Opposite, Soft flexible, Palmate venation, Lustrous, Obovate, Orbicular, Ovate, Dentate, Incised, Pinnately lobed
Flowers: Corymb, Purple, Red, Apr
Fruit: Samara, Schizocarp, Brown, Sep-Oct
Key ID Features:
Leaves opposite, simple, most blades obovate, 7-13cm long x 6-12cm wide, deeplly dissected to form 7-11 main oblanceolate lobes which are also lobed and toothed. Schizocarp 3-4cm wide, thick edge of wings at 90-100 degree angle, each samara 4-5cm long. Winter ID: buds look like a moose hoof with hair around the base, ~1cm long.