Shantung Maple (Acer truncatum): Tough Asian Maple for Urban Landscapes

Shantung Maple, also called Purpleblow Maple, is a tough, adaptable small tree from northern China that has proven itself as a superior urban landscape tree. Acer truncatum (family Sapindaceae) offers the ornamental qualities of a Japanese maple with the toughness of a street tree.

Refined Foliage and Form

This deciduous tree grows 25-30 feet tall with a rounded, dense crown. The leaves are 3-5 inches wide, 5-7 lobed (truncatum = truncated, referring to the squared-off base), glossy dark green, emerging with purple-red tones (hence "Purpleblow"). Fall color is a reliable, brilliant yellow to orange-red. The bark is gray, smooth, becoming slightly furrowed. Samaras are wide-spreading wings.

Taxonomic Classification

Urban Tolerance and Cultivars

Shantung Maple excels in difficult conditions: drought, heat, alkaline soil, compaction, pollution, and restricted root zones. It's hardy to zone 4b (-25°F). It's widely used as a street tree, under utility lines, in parking lots, and small yards. It's relatively pest-free (resistant to leaf scorch and verticillium wilt).

Cultivars: 'Pacific Sunset' (hybrid with A. platanoides, upright, red fall color), 'Norwegian Sunset' (similar), 'Fire Dragon' (exceptional red fall color), 'Main Street' (upright, uniform). It's a parent in the Pacific Sunset® series of hybrid maples. For a tough, beautiful small maple in challenging sites, Shantung Maple is a top-tier choice.