| Common Name | Latin Name | Plant Family |
|---|---|---|
|
Amur Maple |
Acer ginnala |
Aceraceae |
The leaves are packed around apples, rootcrops etc to help preserve them[18, 20].
Black, blue and brown dyes are obtained from the dried leaves[151]. The leaves contain the dyestuff quercetin[223]. They also contain about 30% tannin[223].
Cultivation & Habitat
Seed of garden origin rarely comes true to type. The seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame, it usually germinates in the following spring. Pre-soak stored seed for 24 hours and then stratify for 2 – 4 months at 1 – 8¡c. It can be slow to germinate. The seed can be harvested ‘green’ (when it has fully developed but before it has dried and produced any germination inhibitors) and sown immediately. It should germinate in late winter. If the seed is harvested too soon it will produce very weak plants or no plants at all[80, 113]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on until they are 20cm or more tall before planting them out in their permanent positions.
Layering, which takes about 12 months, is successful with most species in this genus.
Cuttings of young shoots in June or July. The cuttings should have 2 – 3 pairs of leaves, plus one pair of buds at the base. Remove a very thin slice of bark at the base of the cutting, rooting is improved if a rooting hormone is used. The rooted cuttings must show new growth during the summer before being potted up otherwise they are unlikely to survive the winter. Fairly easy from cuttings.
Of easy cultivation, it prefers a good moist well-drained soil on the acid side[11, 182]. Prefers a sunny position but tolerates some shade[11, 200]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Chlorosis can sometimes develop as a result of iron deficiency when the plants are grown in alkaline soils, but in general maples are not fussy as to soil pH.
A very ornamental tree[1], there are some named varieties[11]. The form ‘Bailey Compact’ is a compact form originating in N. America.
Very closely related to and possibly only a ssp. of A. tataricum[11].
The dried leaves are exported to China in large quantities for their use as a dye[151].
Most maples are bad companion plants, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants[18, 20].
E. Asia – China, Japan, Manchuria.
Become ungovernable, break the chains of the matrix; grow and forage your own food and medicine.
*None of the information on this website qualifies as professional medical advice. Take only what resonates with your heart and use your own personal responsibility for what’s best for you. For more information [brackets] [000], see bibliography.