Acer tschonoskii

Flower name
Acer tschonoskii
Scientific name
Acer tschonoskii
Alias峰楓, Mine-kaede
Place of originendemic to Japan
Place of floweringHigh mountain, Sub-alpine
Flowering seasonJune, July

What is Acer tschonoskii

Mine Maple

【Feature】A high-mountain maple with beautiful yellow autumn foliage

Mine Maple (Scientific name: Acer tschonoskii) is an alpine to subalpine deciduous broadleaf small tree, endemic to Japan, belonging to the family Sapindaceae, genus Acer.

In alpine zones, it grows to about 2 m, while in subalpine zones, it reaches around 8 m.
The bark is grayish-brown.
The leaves, borne at the tip of reddish petioles, are palmately divided into 5 lobes, without long-extended tips. The leaf margins have notches and fine serrations, and they are arranged oppositely.
In autumn, the leaves turn a beautiful yellow.
It is dioecious. In June to July, racemes appear, bearing 5–10 small yellow-green flowers. Male flowers have narrow petals and sepals with gaps between them, and they contain 8 stamens.
The fruit is a samara.

Origin of the Name

The name was given because it is found on peaks in the subalpine to alpine zones.

Common name: Mine Maple (峰楓)
Scientific name: Acer tschonoskii
Origin: Endemic to Japan
Domestic distribution: Hokkaido, Honshu
Classification: Kingdom Plantae, Angiosperms, Eudicots, Order Sapindales, Family Sapindaceae, Genus Acer
Habitat / Distribution: Subalpine to alpine zones from central Honshu northward to Hokkaido; environment: forest edges
Life form: Deciduous broadleaf small tree
Tree height: 2 m (alpine) – 8 m (subalpine)
Bark color: grayish-brown
Petiole: reddish
Leaf color: green → yellow (in autumn)
Leaf shape: palmate, 5 lobes
Leaf apex: not elongated
Leaf margin: notches and fine serrations
Leaf arrangement: opposite
Sexuality: dioecious
Flowering season: June–July
Inflorescence: raceme
Flower color: yellow-green
Flowers per cluster: 5–10
Male flowers: 8 stamens; petals and sepals narrow with spaces between them
Fruit type: samara