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Trees

Acer capillipes

red snake-bark maple

A snakebark maple making a small deciduous tree with white-striped young branches and 3-lobed leaves to 12cm in length, red and yellow in autumn. Flowers green, in drooping racemes; attractive pink fruits

Other common names

snake-bark maple

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Ultimate height

8–12 metres

Time to ultimate height

20–50 years

Ultimate spread

4–8 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

North–facing or South–facing or West–facing or East–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: Columnar upright
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
Plant range: Japan

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in a moist but well-drained soil

Propagation

Propagate by seed or grafting

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Architectural
Low Maintenance

Pruning

Pruning group 1

Pests

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

Diseases

May be susceptible to Verticillium wilt may be a problem

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