Overview of species and varieties of maple

Maple trees are one of the most abundant trees in the world. They grow on almost all continents, in different weather conditions. The varietal and species diversity of maple is amazing - only in our country there are more than 25 variants with their own subspecies. And on the planet there are more than 150 representatives of this plant.

Maples differ in appearance: height, trunk width, span and crown shape. In addition, the foliage of this tree has different shapes and colors. Trees are widely used for landscaping parks and squares in an urban environment, often planted along alleys and streets, in garden plots. Plus maple - unpretentiousness, it can grow in the light and in the shade, calmly endures adverse conditions in terms of ecology.

Large types of maple can be found quite often. Among the giant varieties, the following are distinguished.

This is one of the most ambitious representatives. The majestic view is also called velvety, mainly it can be found in the Transcaucasian region, on the territory of the Iranian mountains. Its height can reach 50 meters. As for the width of the trunk, it varies from 1 to 1.2 m. The variety is remarkable not only for its size, but also for its spectacular appearance, especially during the formation of fruits.

This variety is slightly inferior in terms of height to the previous one, but it is also quite tall and visually powerful. This maple is also called sycamore, there are quite a few subspecies of this tree. Sycamore grows in mountainous areas: in the Caucasus, Ukraine. The tree reaches a height of 40 m, but its diameter is huge and can be two meters. The bark of the plant is grayish, dark, exfoliating in separate plates, under which areas of fresh bark are visible.

This tree looks very expressive due to its dense crown, the shape of which resembles a tent. Many subspecies of the pseudoplatan tree are actively used in decorative landscaping. There are representatives with different colors of foliage, including two-tone ones.

This giant maple also looks very impressive, it belongs to the North American species. The height of the tree is about 40 m, the width of the trunk is about 1.5 m. The silvery variety is distinguished by spectacular foliage: with long petioles, deep dissection and five lobes. The foliage is two-colored: light green and silvery white. Thanks to this, the plant got its name.

In autumn, this plant looks very remarkable, as the foliage is painted in a light yellow color. It is often planted near water bodies for decorative purposes. It also looks great in alleys, group compositions.

Far Eastern species and varieties are a special group of maple, it is in this region that they are especially common. Far Eastern maple grows quietly in mountainous areas, lowlands, next to water. At the same time, plants of this group take root perfectly in other regions, for example, in the Moscow region. There are several popular types of trees.

The bark on the trunk of this tree has a greenish tint, it is complemented by white oblong lines. The leaves have a deep green color in the dark range, in autumn they take on a tint of yellow gold.

Refers to varieties that are resistant to cold and frost. The maximum plant height is 6 m. It is distinguished by foliage with three lobes and pointed tips. The color of the foliage gradually acquires a burgundy-wine tint.

This maple is also called mono, it can grow up to about 15 m in height, but the crown is quite low. The leaves are pointed, small in size, the shape is five-lobed, like a maple tree. In the autumn, the leaves take on beautiful yellow and red hues.

This tree is also called maple. fan-shaped, it has very impressive foliage with openwork cuts. The foliage, which is green during the normal period, becomes incredibly bright with the arrival of autumn. The range of the palette is from light yellow to rich purple.

Another beautiful type of maple tree with three-bladed foliage. The lobes are elongated, rather thin, on oblong petioles. In the cold season, the leaves turn crimson-red. The maximum height of such a tree is 20 m.

A very low variety, the maximum height is about 8 m. Very beautiful carved leaves at different times of the year change color from rich green to pink-red. The plant is decorated with inflorescences of white-yellow color with reddish sepals.

A huge number of maple trees grow in North America, but they gradually spread to other continents. Among them are the varieties listed below.

• Ash-leaved... This tree in our country has long been "naturalized" and grows literally everywhere, resembling the behavior of a weed. What today can be found in most cities and outside them is chaotic, previously it was planted exclusively in park areas. And when this tree was brought into the country, at first it was generally grown exclusively in greenhouses. Today, these trees are very common in Russia, they are winter-hardy, they perfectly tolerate the climate of the middle zone and more severe regions. Any soil is suitable for them, but the average decorativeness and fragility allow the use of maples only in combination with other plants. The ash-leaved variety has several spectacular subspecies and varieties.

• Curled... The homeland of this plant is also the North American region. The description of the curled maple has a distinctive feature - noticeable multi-lobed leaves up to 12 cm long. The foliage is juicy green, with some pubescence in the lower part, oval-round in shape. The height of this tree can reach 12 m. During flowering, it is decorated with white flowers, quite large and expressive. But this maple blooms only upon reaching the age of twelve. The growth rate of the tree is average, tolerates cold well, reproduces by seeds, grows with dignity on any soils, excellent for the Moscow region. In the autumn, the decorativeness of the tree increases: the leaves are orange or deep red.

• Red... This species prefers swampy and low-lying places, it grows well on soils with high groundwater, stagnant moisture. Not capricious in terms of soil and very showy maple has several decorative subspecies with pyramidal crowns and luxurious burgundy leaves. Red-orange foliage in autumn and red flowering gave the name to this type of maple.

• Pennsylvania... Differs in beautiful smooth green bark, large leaves with three lobes.The very bright yellow color of the leaves in autumn gives the tree a beautiful look.

• Black... An inhabitant of the eastern part of the North American continent, in nature it grows near rivers on mountain slopes, in a mixed forest belt. It belongs to the tall representatives - it stretches up to 40 m. Maple reaches its maximum height already at a young age. This tree does not bloom, the roots are close to the surface and are extremely sensitive. The plant got its name due to the color of the foliage - dark, almost black, with red petioles.

There are several more spectacular representatives of the maple, common all over the world.

• Field (tree). A very non-capricious representative of the maple clan, who is indifferent to gas pollution. Therefore, he feels great in city parks and squares, on the streets of megalopolises. This plant is not very tall, it belongs to medium-sized. Usually, it does not stretch more than 15 m in height. It has a wide conical crown, the foliage is pale green in color, the flowering is hardly noticeable, since it is very small. The bark has a brown tint, it is covered with light, almost white lines. In frosts, this plant does not feel well, it is very thermophilic. Most often it can be found in Europe, its central part.

• French... It can grow as a tree or shrub, it is fast-growing at a young age and medium-growing at maturity. The smooth bark acquires a number of cracks with age. The foliage is three-lobed, the color is very juicy and dark - green. Leaves fall very late, they stay on the tree until almost winter. The autumn color of the leaves is rich yellow with greenery. Spring bloom is accompanied by the appearance of small green-yellow flowers.

• Maple Semyonova. Its homeland is the Central Asian area and Afghanistan. The tree maple grows at an average rate, reaching about 6 m in height. The crown is shaped like a ball, which makes the plant especially attractive. The bark of a light gray palette, it is quite even, but there are trees, the bark of which wrinkles quite actively. The leaves are dense, have a green-bluish color, lighter from the whorl than from above. During flowering, the plant is covered with small yellow flowers that gather in inflorescences. Three-centimeter lionfish-fruits are seeds. Frost-resistant and drought-resistant plant.

• Maple of David. The Chinese representative of the maple, grows in the central regions of the country. The bark has a greenish tone, complemented by snow-white stripes. The tree stretches up to 10 m in height, the longish petioles reach 5 cm. The foliage is whole, with a sharp tip, resembling an egg in shape. The length of the leaf is about 15 cm, the color is rich green, in autumn it is yellow-red. The flowering is brush-like, the roots are close to the surface, the plant is demanding on the quality of the soil. Frost resistance is extremely low.

In addition to tree maples, there are varieties that grow as shrubs. Dwarf maple looks great in small garden landscapes and is usually great for pruning. The formation of a dense crown allows shrubs to be used as hedges.

• Bearded... An incredibly decorative plant, which is especially effective during the flowering period. But even in autumn, when the leaves acquire a juicy orange or dark yellow color, it looks no worse. The shoots of the bearded maple tree have a reddish-purple bark and look very beautiful. Amenable to impeccable shaping, haircut.

• Hornbeam... Grows mainly in Japan, prefers mountain slopes. It is distinguished by its luscious green foliage, similar in shape to a hornbeam.In autumn, it turns brownish-yellow. Flowering yellow-green, occurs at the same time when the first leaves appear. Since the plant is frost-resistant, it grows well in our country in the regions of the middle lane. True, it will have to be sheltered from the winds.

• Divergent... This dwarf representative grows in Turkish and Armenian forests, prefers dry mountain slopes. The height of this plant usually does not exceed 3 m, but at 5 years old it rarely reaches 2 m. The crown in width usually does not grow more than a meter. This tree grows quickly, even tolerates very powerful frosts well.

• Globular... Not a particularly large representative of maple, with a crown resembling a ball in shape. Thanks to this shape, the tree looks aesthetically pleasing and elegant. The plant is a slow-growing plant, the height varies from 5 to 7 m. The foliage blooms in a bronze shade, then changes color to pale green, and in autumn - to juicy yellow. The flowering time gives the plant yellow-green flowers that resemble shields. This maple loves moisture, the roots are very sensitive.

• Field shrub "Carnival"... The plant has a dense crown that spreads out like a tent. The bark has a gray tone, rather light, the foliage is small, the buds are pubescent, as well as the shoots. Grows in the Crimea, the Caucasus, in the warm zones of Russia, not too winter-hardy, prefers warmth. But it perfectly tolerates dry weather and shade. Inflorescences are invisible, yellowish, with a green tint.

Almost all varieties of maples have interesting, spectacular varietal representatives.

• Crimson King. The maximum height of a fairly spreading maple is 15 m. The foliage with lobes has a bright purple-red color in its normal state. With the onset of frost, the color changes to orange. The yellow-red bloom adorns the tree and appears during the opening of the leaves in the spring.

• "Drumondi"... This variety belongs to the holly variety, the maximum height is 12 m. The tree looks very aesthetically pleasing and elegant, its crown belongs to the regular type. The foliage immediately after emergence has a pink border, during the ripening period the width of the border increases, the color changes to cream. Light border and dark foliage provide a striking contrast.

• Atropurpurea. The twenty-meter representative of the false-plane maple has a wide crown like a cone. Fresh foliage is brown-red in color, by autumn it becomes dark green, with a spectacular bloom of violet-purple or juicy red.

• "Flamingo"... It belongs to the ash-leaved variety, rather low, only 4 m in height. It grows like a miniature tree or a large shrub, very effective, with excellent decorative effect. The foliage is variegated, at the beginning of the season it is pinkish, acquiring a variegated white color throughout the year. An ideal plant for small landscapes, it looks great in a variety of ensembles.

• Vieru. The variety is a silvery variety, reaching a height of about 20 m. The tree looks very picturesque, the branches are elongated, thin, hanging beautifully. Carved foliage with aggressive dissection looks elegant and sophisticated. The color is green, with a silvery tint, in autumn it acquires a faded yellow color. This variety is most commonly used as a tapeworm.

• Globozum. Another representative of the holly, which grows only up to 7 m in height. Even without special pruning, the dense crown has the shape of a ball; in adulthood, the shape takes on a flat type. An excellent solution for street landscapes, parks, squares, small gardens.

• "Royal red"... The holly variety, reaches a height of 12 m, has a wide crown with a conical shape.The leaves of this tree are large, have a glossy sheen, the color is saturated red during the entire growing season. The more spectacular the yellow inflorescences look, which contrast with the purple background. The variety is fast growing and very actively used for landscaping.

• "Variegatum". A representative of the ash-leaved maple, has the highest decorativeness, the foliage is green and white, variegated, the fruits are very elegant. Most often, this maple is planted in different ensembles as a specimen, combined with different trees. The city is growing well.

• "Purple Ghost". A Japanese cultivar that is outstandingly decorative due to its unusual foliage color. The leaves are carved, juicy green at the beginning of the season, by autumn they become a unique purple-burgundy color. There are so many shades that smooth and abrupt transitions create an amazing impression.