Acer circinatum – Vine Maple – Aceraceae (The Maple Family)

Description Acer circinatum, commonly known as vine maple, is a BC native that can grow as a bushy large shrub or small to medium sized tree with a habit similar to Japanese maples. The foliage emerges bright green in spring and takes on yellow, orange and red colours in fall. In spring, tiny purple and white flowers are borne in short terminal clusters followed by red-winged fruits. Plants will reach 15-25 feet tall and wide. Low maintenance and easy to grow and the best of our native trees for the urban garden. Enjoys cooler climates and shaded, moist well-drained and fertile soils. Use as a specimen, in a naturalized setting, or as an alternative to Japanese maples. The vine maple is an important plant for wildlife. The flowers attract a wide range of native bee species, the plants are a larval host for the western tiger swallowtail butterfly, and birds and other wildlife eat the seeds. Deer resistant. Photo: Wikimedia.