Vine Maple

Acer circinatum

Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Sapindaceae
Genus:
Acer
Species:
Acer circinatum

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Shrub , Tree , Vine
Height:
20-40 ft
Light Requirements:
Part Shade, Shade
Drought Tolerance:
Low
Bloom Months:
mar, apr, may
Bloom Colors:
White, Red, Green, Purple

Native Range

United States: Alaska, California, Oregon, Washington, Canada: British Columbia

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:
★☆☆☆☆ Based on number of butterfly and moth species using this genus as host plant (Source: National Wildlife Federation)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Elegant Sheep Moth (Hemileuca eglanterina), Io moth (Automeris io), Lace-winged zale (Zale minerea), Linden looper (Erannis tiliaria), Mournful Thorn (Lambdina fiscellaria), Spiramater lutra, stormy arches (Polia nimbosa), walnut spanworm moth (Phigalia plumogeraria)

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
rich, well-drained loamy soil
pH:
5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
good drainage preferred
Moisture:
consistently moist
Notes:
Thrives in understory of moist forests

Germination Information

Pre-treatment: Collected seeds with attached samaras immediately placed in damp peat moss for 150+ days of cold moist stratification; or sown directly into flats with a rich propagation medium (high in peat moss) and placed in lathhouse at Corvallis OR in September for natural stratification.

Establishment: Ripened samaras collected at fall color-change from late August to early September - seeds allowed to dry out on tree may be harder to germinate, though viable. Plants occur both in understory of mixed conifers as a small tree, or in openings and cut-over clearings as multistem shrubs. Northwestern US, including Alaska and northern California, mostly west of the Cascade Mountain Range.

Source: npn.rngr.net