Introducing Acer maximowiczianum, Nikko Maple, a slender deciduous tree that is widely distributed in China and Japan. It is a trifoliate maple tree related to the Threeflower Maple and Paperbark Maple, but has a distinct dark gray to blackish bark. The leaves have three oblong leaflets with soft pubescence and smooth margins. The hard, horizontally-spreading samaras have the same parthenocarpy tendencies as those of the Paperbark Maple. The Nikko Maple was first introduced to cultivation in 1881 and is rare outside arboreta. The largest specimens in England can reach up to 50 ft tall, and a mature specimen can be seen at the Arnold Arboretum in Boston, Massachusetts. Bring a unique beauty to your garden with the ACER maximowiczianum Nikko Maple.
