White-leaved Maple: How to Grow an American "Guest"

Many owners are increasingly paying attention to foreign variations of familiar plants, which differ not only in appearance, but also in life expectancy and care. Today we will talk about American maple, learn how to use it and learn how to care for this plant.

Description and biological features

Ash-leaved maple, or American, has a similar description with the “local” relative, but it is worth focusing on the main differences, which we will discuss later.

To begin with, this is a deciduous tree, which grows up to 21 m in height, the maximum diameter of the trunk is 90 cm. The crown is uneven due to the structure of the branches.

As for the bark, it is thin, painted in gray. It is worth noting that the older the tree, the darker the bark.The branches are often covered with down with a greenish tinge.

The leaves have a complex structure, opposite, pinnate. Each sheet reaches a length of 14-17 cm. The shape of the sheet resembles a leaf of ash, smooth, painted in green.

Blossoms "American" in May for 15 days. These plants are dioecious, that is, male and female inflorescences are located on different trees, in contrast to the bisexual ones, the flowers of which have both a pistil and a stamen.

The habitual fruit - the lionfish. Full maturation occurs in early fall. Having finished with the description, we turn to the features of the tree.

The fact is that many gardeners and gardeners who are familiar with this crop try to destroy it without thinking.

The thing is that the American maple is incredibly “hardy”, it is almost impossible to completely destroy it, because it is not only excellently sifted out, but also constantly gives out young plants that flood large areas, changing the ecosystem and drowning out the species and plants that we are used to. It is worth saying that because of its peculiarity, to force out all other species, the American maple is considered one of the most aggressive tree weeds in the forest zone of Eurasia.

Where grows wild

The habitat of ash-like maple is North America, from where its seeds were brought to Europe in the 17th century. And at the end of the 18th century, American maple appeared in the Botanical Garden of St. Petersburg and in Moscow.

Interesting is the fact that already in the 20s of the last century, the maple began to sift under natural conditions, and the reason for this was the import of plant seeds from Canada.

Maple use

In terms of application, maple tree has proved to be a cheap, fast-growing option for landscaping streets. The plant, although it lives for no more than 30 years in urban environments, however, its unpretentiousness and vitality allow you to quickly replace old trees with new growths. However, not everything is so smooth, as maple shoots destroy asphalt and distort the landscape, and its pollen can cause allergies. Also planting maple trees in windy regions is meaningless, since brittle shoots do not withstand wind gusts, after which the trees are not at their best.

Also, maple slices are used to create interesting crafts, and its sweetish juice in America is used as a honey plant.

Based on the foregoing, it can be concluded that planting a plant requires constant attention, without which a small tree in a few years turns into a huge thicket that not only takes up space and destroys pavement, but also spoils the view of the street.

Decorative and garden forms

Let's discuss the decorative variations of American maple, which look much better in the garden than the wild version.

Auratum. California variation that grows up to 5-7 m in height. The leafy plates are painted in a yellowish color that this plant produces in the garden. The fast-growing plant begins to bloom only at 9 years after planting. Flowering lasts 10 days. It is worth noting a good frost resistance and a high percentage of rooting cuttings, however, we note that the tree is short-lived.

Aureo-variegatum. The variation has the same maximum height as the previous “candidate”. The maximum diameter is 4-6 m, which is why Aureo-variegatum has the appearance of a shrub.

The leaves are colored green, however, unlike other forms, they have yellow stripes, which not only paint the “fields” in golden color, but also cover the central part of the plate.Main features: high winter hardiness, lack of flowering and good rooting of summer cuttings. Elegans. Shrub, which has impressive dimensions - up to 5 meters. Sheet plates have a yellow frame, which brightens over time. Flamingo. Maple Flamingo in terms of growing and care does not differ from the "elegant" version. It has the same size, but the leaf plates have mysterious pink blotches that appear when the leaves are fully bloomed.

The same color is painted frame. Unfortunately, with age, the sheet loses fancy pink paint, replacing them with white. Variegatum. It can be both a tree and a shrub having a height of up to 7 meters. The edges of the leaves are painted in cream color, which at the time of leaf blooming has a pink tint.

Some plates may have a solid cream color, replacing the green color. This form is considered the most spectacular, although its growth rate is inferior to the previous one, and the fragility of the shoots leaves much to be desired.

Planting seedlings

It's time to discuss the rules of planting young trees. We begin with general recommendations and end with the main points.

Initially, a pit is prepared having the parameters of 50x50x70 cm. Next, a soil mixture is prepared that includes 3 parts of humus, 2 parts of soddy earth and 1 part of sand. Such a substrate will differ in fertility and have good drainage properties.

When planting, we eliminate the formation of "air holes" near the roots, slightly tamping the soil as the hole fills. You need to deepen the seedling to the root collar, which should be above the soil.

After planting, pour 15 liters of water under the root and mulch the soil in order not to waste time on weeding and weed control in the future.

If the trees are planted as a hedge, then the distance between the plants in the row should be between 1.5-2 m, if the trees are planted to decorate the garden, then the distance between the seedlings should be at least 3 m. Note that the plant is light-requiring, therefore, it is not worth hiding it under the crown of another tree.It is neutral to soils, it can grow even in salt marshes. However, it is desirable that the soil was slightly acidic.

How fast is growing

Speaking of rapid growth, each represents something of their own. Yes, the American maple does not grow with the speed of bamboo, however, adding 50 cm per year, the plant very quickly reaches an impressive height and diameter of the trunk.

It is worth noting that over the years, the growth rate is reduced, so you will not be able to get a "mini-sequoia".

Care for young seedlings

Care is regular watering and timely feeding. After planting, pour in water every week in a volume of 30 l. Water should be at room temperature so that the contrast between warm soil and cold moisture is not created.

In the spring, you need to feed the tree with potassium and sodium, and in the summertime to make a complex fertilizer for maples. Above, we talked about mulching, which, however, is best done in order to protect the root system from the contrast of temperatures and drying.

Do not forget that the sapling has a weak resistance to frost, so you need to cover the lower part of the trunk for the winter.The krone does not freeze over, therefore it can be left without a heater.

Care for mature trees

Mature trees do not need an abundant amount of moisture and can survive a short-term drought without loss. The rate of watering - 15 liters per week for each plant. Also, do not worry about the fact that the "American" can freeze.

An adult plant can withstand temperatures down to -40 ° C, so no shelter is required. Every year, in the summer, you need to do pruning, removing the cultivated shoots and shoots. You should also inspect maple for the presence of parasites and fungi.

In conclusion, it should be said that ornamental forms are really valuable for gardens, but wild maple, however, is more like a parasite than useful in terms of tree planting. Be careful of planting American maple, as its leaves and rhizome can rot the soil during the process of decay, slowing down the growth of nearby crops.

Do not forget about the care that blurs the line between the ornamental tree and the uncontrolled thicket that captures large areas.