| Common Name | Latin Name | Plant Family |
|---|---|---|
|
Moosewood |
Acer pensylvanicum |
Aceraceae |
The leaves are packed around apples, rootcrops etc to help preserve them[18, 20].
The wood is light, soft, close-grained and satiny, it weighs 33lb per cubic foot[82, 235]. It is not used commercially, though it is sometimes used for fuel[226].
Cultivation & Habitat
Seed – 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.
Grafting is not usually advised for this species, though any cultivars can be grafted onto rootstocks of the species.
Of easy cultivation, it prefers a sunny position or light dappled shade and a good moist well-drained soil but succeeds on most soils, especially those on the acid side, and dislikes alkaline soils[182, 200]. Grows well in heavy clay soils.
Plants are hardy to about -25¡c when they are fully dormant[200].
A good tree for street planting[200].
Most maples are bad companion plants, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants[18, 20].
Eastern N. America – Nova Scotia to Georgia, west to Michigan.
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.