Mountain Maple
Acer spicatum
François André Michaux (book author), Augustus Lucas Hillhouse (translator), Pancrace Bessa (illustrator), Gabriel (engraver)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Sapindaceae
- Genus:
- Acer
- Species:
- Acer spicatum
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub , Tree
- Height:
- 20-40 ft
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun, Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- mar, apr, may
- Bloom Colors:
- Yellow, Green, Brown
Native Range
United States: Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Canada: Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan
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
American Dagger Moth (Acronicta americana), Cecropia moth (Hyalophora cecropia), chalybeana leafroller moth (Acleris chalybeana), False Crocus Geometer (Xanthotype urticaria), fruit-tree leafroller (Archips argyrospila), Gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar), Io moth (Automeris io), Rosy Maple Moth (Dryocampa rubicunda), Saddled Prominent (Heterocampa guttivitta), Sparganothis acerivorana, woodland leafroller (Pandemis lamprosana), Zale galbanata
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Half-black bumble bee (Bombus vagans), Half-black bumble bee (Bombus vagans), Tri-colored bumble bee (Bombus ternarius), Tri-colored bumble bee (Bombus ternarius)
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- moist, rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 4.5 - 6.5 (acidic to slightly acidic)
- Drainage:
- good drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers cool, shaded environments
Germination Information
Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).; then Cold-moist stratification for 60 days.
Source: OpenAI GPT-4o