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Trees

Acer tonkinense

Tonkin maple

Very rare in cultivation, this upright, deciduous tree about 12m in height, has smooth, dark brown bark, purplish to olive green branchlets and palmate, purplish-green 3-5 shallow-lobed leaves, to 15cm long and wide, the young leaves red beneath and the autumn colour orange-yellow to red. Flower clusters produced in spring are yellow, followed by yellowish-green winged fruits, the wings spreading horizontally, in early autumn

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Ultimate height

8–12 metres

Time to ultimate height

10–20 years

Ultimate spread

2.5–4 metres

Sand

Loam

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

West–facing or South–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Sapindaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Acer can be deciduous trees or large shrubs with paired, often palmately-lobed leaves and small flowers followed by characteristic winged fruits. Many have fine autumn colour, and some have ornamental stems
Name status: Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, moist but well-drained soil in sun or partial shade, in a sheltered location. Suitable for southern counties in a frost-free location or grow in a container and overwinter in a frost-free place. See tree cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by seed (trees and shrubs), layering in autumn, grafting in late winter or softwood cuttings in early summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden

Pruning

Pruning group 1 from late autumn to midwinter only

Pests

May be susceptible to Acer gall mite, aphids, caterpillars and horse chestnut scale

Diseases

May be susceptible to Verticillium wilt, Acer leaf scorch and honey fungus

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