Rocky Mountain Maple

Acer glabrum

Leaves: Deciduous. Leaves are 3 to 5 inches wide and long with 3 to 5 lobes or occasionally separated into 3 separate leaves. Sharply serrated leaf edge. Dark green leaf color above and paler beneath. Leaf stem (petiole) is red and 1 to 4 inches long. Fall color yellow to muted red.

Bark/Twigs: Thin and fairly smooth bark. Red-brown in color.

Flowers/Fruit: Inconspicuous yellow-green flowers bloom in late spring after leaves emerge. U-shaped paired seeds (samaras) with wings nearly parallel, ¾ to 1 inch long. Pink in summer turning to brown in fall.

Mature size and shape: Small. 6 to 30 feet high x 3 to 15 feet wide. Shrubby-looking tree. Often has multiple stems.

General information/special features: Native to Utah. Prefers moist, protected sites. Shade tolerant.

Landscape use and maintenance: Good as a grouping of trees. Can be planted under power lines. Slow growing rate. Average maintenance.

USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 to 8

Family/Origin: Aceraceae – Maple. A small tree native from the western Great Plains west to Oregon and Washington and from the Mexican border through most of British Columbia, including mountainous portions of Utah and the Intermountain West.

Campus Use: Somewhat uncommon. Can be found in the plaza east of the Marriott Library (Bld 86).