Updated
March 26, 2008
Acer circinatum
(Vine Maple, Mountain Maple)
Family: Aceraceae
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A Note from Wally: I grow Acer
circinatum (Vine Maple, Mountain Maple) and many other Northwest
Native Plants here in my Nursery and Gardens in the Willamette Valley in
Western Oregon. I specialize in Northwest Native Plants and sell both
Wholesale and Retail, depending on quantity. I usually have plants
available year-round in one gallon containers and often in various other
container sizes and as Bare Root plants in the Winter months. This site is
intended as a reference for all who are interested in Northwest Native
Plants: amateur, professional – everyone. For more information, go to my
Home Page at www.nwplants.com and then
click on Plant Catalog for current prices and availability. Be sure and then click on Plant
Sales for any bargains. If you buy in large quantities, check the Wholesale
Information Sites on my Home Page.
If you have any information about this species – stories, climates,
uses, propagation, etc. please contact me at plants@nwplants.com If I
publish your tips and information, I will credit you on the web and send
you a credit memo.
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Watercolor by Heidi D. Hansen
(Click on images for large views)
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Have you ever witnessed the vine maple’s
fiery autumn display of scarlet and tangerine foliage splashing over the
deep green of a Douglas fir forest? If you have, you probably reached for
your camera, trying to capture one of the maple’s most celebrated
features. In the shade of a dense tree canopy, vine maples grow into
sinuous bodies of twisting branches that reach toward breaks in the
overstory. Growing until they are too heavy to stand upright any longer,
the arcing branches stroke the forest floor then again begin to raise in
search of the sun. In an open setting, the creeping shrub may also become
a small tree with a squat trunk that reaches up to 25 feet in height. Vine
maple bears serrated spherical leaves that are lobed 7 to 9 times and
arranged oppositely along the stem. Another important distinguishing
feature of this forest denizen is borne from its flowers. Fluttering by,
propelled by the winds, are the long wings of its double samara. Notice
how the wings are widely angled creating an alignment almost parallel with
the ground. This wonderful ornamental is native to the Pacific Northwest
and is a great choice for landscaping or native plant gardening. From
radiant green leaves to purple and white flowers to its scarlet samaras,
the brilliant displays of color delight the senses throughout its seasons.
Habit: Vine maple has many lives. In open sunshine the plant becomes a
small tree with several erect stems or it can blossom into a wild, bushy
shrub. However, in the shade of the forest crown the species contorts and
twists becoming a sprawling vine with a few long arching branches that
patiently search for light. A magical property allows this species to root
itself into the earth where branches unite with the forest floor. In some
cases colonies of vine maple grow into thick tangles, causing even the
hardiest of cross country travelers to curse its obstacle course of
branches; trappers referred to the vine as “devil wood.” The bark is
usually smooth, but is also finely fissured at times. New growth and
branchlets are a soft green while older growth becomes reddish-brown.
Another tip for identification is the species’ twigs which
characteristically end in two buds.
The simple, palmate shaped leaves grow 2.5 to 4.5
inches long and are attached to long stalks with enlarged bases that join
at the stem, clasping their support. Underneath, the downy leaves are
paler and bear tufts of hairs. Even in the spring and summer, the newly
emergent leaves catch your eye with their crimson tones. White round-petaled
flowers with spreading reddish purple sepals dangle in clusters of 10 to
20 from the ends of shoots. The flowers, which are approximately one-half
inch wide, arrive along with the new leaves in spring. By fall, the
beautiful winged double samaras are formed to a length of 1.5 inches and
then are released to the wind. To distinguish between vine maple and its
close relative Douglas
maple (Acer glabrum) count the lobes dividing the leaf margin, if the
number is between 3 to 5 instead of 7 to 9 then you have a Douglas maple.
As well, the Douglas maple has greenish-yellow flowers and samaras that
are oriented in more of a “V” shape.
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Habitat and
Range: From the canyon bottoms and talus slopes of
the eastern Cascades to the rich forest understory of the western
Cascades, from open alluvial terraces to clear-cuts and burn areas, vine
maple persists in coniferous and hardwood forests from low to middle
elevations. It may be found as far north as southern Alaska and as far
south as northern California, and ranges from the eastern Cascades west to
the Pacific coast.
Ornamental
Values:
This handsome species is desired for its dramatic colors and
tolerance of shade and sun. The plant’s USDA hardiness zone rating
ranges from 7 to 8. You may plant this species in the shade, but for more
spectacular fall colors plant in a more open, sunny locale. This is one
plant that can withstand the extremes of full sun. Vine maple likes moist
well-drained soil in a pH range of 5.5-7.5, but is adapted to many soil
types including clay and sandy loams as well as rocky talus soil. This
long-lived species has a moderate growth rate, 1 to 2 feet per year, and
an ability to re-sprout from its root crown when damaged.
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Painting by Heidi Hansen
Click on picture for large view |
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Native
Plant Gardening/Wildlife Habitat: This native is found in many ecotypes and
provides a bounty of edibles for wildlife. The seeds, buds and flowers are
nutriment for song birds, game birds, and mammals. Deer and elk forage on
the leaves and bark; elk continue feeding on the buds and bark in the
barren winter. The simple flowers provide delectable nectar for bees and
butterflies. The leaves are fodder for brown tissue moth and polyphemus
moth larvae. Birds often gather vine maple’s leaves and stems for
nesting materials.
Jennifer, a member of our nursery team and the
webmaster for this domain, recalls the Sunday afternoons in the autumn
when her family would drive above the Detroit area where entire hillsides
were covered in vine maple brambles as they recovered from clear-cuts. She
and her sister always kept a sharp lookout for the deer that loved to take
their afternoon naps within the protection of the vine maple.
In the wild, companion species found growing along
with vine maple include Douglas
fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), Western
hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla),
Western red
cedar (Thuja plicata), Port-Orford
cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana),
sitka spruce
(Picea sitchensis), Pacific
silver fir (Abies
amabilis),
ponderosa
pine (Pinus ponderosa), sitka
alder (Alnus sinchensis), red
elderberry (Sambucus racemosa),
oceanspray (Holodiscus
discolor), rhododendrons
(Rhododendron
sp.),
blue-leaved huckleberry (Vaccinium
deliciosum), bald hip rose (Rosa gymnocarpa),
sword fern (Polystichum munitum), Oregon
grape (Mahonia [Berberis]
nervosa), salal
(Gautheria shalon),
foamflower (Tiarella trifoliata),
twinflower (Linnaea
borealis), and bear-grass
(Xerophyllum tenax). Our
nursery offers a selection of many of these species. Click on the plant
names to see the catalog entry for them.
Restoration
and Mitigation Values:
For restoration of moist drainages and steep slopes, vine maple is
respected for its exceptional soil binding qualities. The species is often
one of the early colonizers after disturbances such as clear cuts or fire
and fares well on poor sites.
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NOTE:
See commercial availability on our Wholesale websites for Bareroot
and
Containerized
plants.
Historical
and Cultural Uses:
Vine maple’s wood is very compact and durable, yet young growth
is quite supple. Some Native Americans dubbed the species “basket
tree” for its long, straight stems that were woven into baskets. Native
Americans also crafted the wood into cradle swings, spoons and dishes,
snowshoe frames, and drum hoops. Hearty logs and branches were collected
for firewood.
Edible
and Medicinal Uses*:
According to some backcountry hikers, the sap of this maple is
edible; though it is not nearly as scrumptious as the sap extracted from
Eastern maple species. The young green shoots may be eaten like asparagus,
but beware of the poisonous older leaves.
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* Please use caution when preparing or eating
any parts of a plant. Identification of the species and knowledge of a
plant’s toxicity are both essential before using any plant species
medicinally or otherwise. Please consult with a heath professional before
attempting to treat any ailment
Propagation Techniques:
Seeds --
Vine maple is not
considered to be a good seed producer and in its natural environment
typically relies on vegetative reproduction. Collect samaras in autumn as
they dry. The propagation of this species’ seeds involves warm, moist
stratification for 1 to 2 months and then cold stratification for 3 to 6
months. If the seeds are placed into trays or beds and covered with a
mulch of leaves, the seedlings will appear the subsequent spring. The new
plants can be transplanted after they reach one year in age.
Vegetative -- The species readily sprouts from its root crown after some type of
disturbance. Layering is another option to start new plants, wounding a
stem and anchoring down the stem so the wound remains in contact with soil
allows the stem to send out roots. After the roots take hold, the shoot
can be separated from the parent to become a new individual. Another
alternative for propagation is salvaging seedlings around the parent tree,
but these must be potted without delay.
See
also: Article on Acer Circinatum
(Vine Maple)
For
more information on native plant gardening or to receive my
NW Native Plant
Journal with seasonal gardening tips, please visit my home
page. Any current plant sales are displayed on the home page too! My on-line
catalog gives further details about the retail and wholesale
availability of the native species I have for sale. If you’re in the
Salem, Oregon area, stop by and visit my nursery
and its wonderful native garden
displays.
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Thanks, and happy gardening!
Wally
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Thank
you to the following references for their invaluable information:
Plants
of the Pacific Northwest Coast by Pojar and Mackinnon (1994)
Western
Forests, A National Audubon Society Nature Guide by Stephen Whitney
(1985)
Flora
of the Pacific Northwest by C.L. Hitchcock & A. Cronquist,
University of Washington Press (1973)
Trees,
Shrubs, & Flowers to know in British Columbia & Washington
by C.P. Lyons, Lone Pine Publishing (1995)
Collecting,
Processing and Germinating Seeds of Wildland Plants by J.A. Young
and C.G. Young, Timberland Press (1986)
Trees
to know in Oregon by Oregon State University Extension Service &
Oregon Department of Forestry, Extension Circular 1450 (1995)
The
Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation from seed to tissue culture
by M.A. Dirr and C.W. Heuser, Jr., Varsity Press, Inc. (1987)
Landscaping
for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest by Russell Link, University of
Washington Press & Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife
(1999)
Naturescaping,
A Landscaping Partnership with Nature by Oregon Department of Fish
& Wildlife (2001)
US
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research
Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (2002, February) http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Gardenbed.com
http://www.gardenbed.com
BCAdventure.com
http://www.bcadventure.com/adventure/wilderness/forest/
Backcountry
Rangers, Edible Sierra Nevada Plants Guide http://www.backcountryrangers.com/
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