All Species
Acer cappadocicum ssp. sinicum
Chinese Cappadocian maple Ht 5-10m
Small Tree / Deciduous / Tolerates dry sites / Attractive autumn colours - orange / Attractive autumn colours - red / Attracts bees / Cold hardy (H4) (-10 to -5C)
Himalayas and SW China. Dense round crown, deciduous. Lobes of leaves long pointed, turning yellow, orange and red in autumn. Yellow flowers in spring. Drought tolerant and still rare in NZ. Hardy to -10C.
Acer pseudoplatanus
Sycamore Ht 25-30m
Large tree / Deciduous / Resistant to salt spray / Tolerates exposed sites / Tolerates dry sites / Attractive autumn colours - yellow / Attractive berries fruits or cone / Attracts bees / Timber / Firewood / Tolerates limestone soils / Cold hardy (H4) (-10 to -5C)
Europe and south west Asia. Broadly columnar, deciduous. Vigorous grower. Tolerates harsh conditions. Can seed prolifically and provide fodder for grazing animals. In Central Otago it gives good yellow autumn colour.
Acer pseudoplatanus purpureum
Sycamore (purple under leaf) Ht 25-30m
Large tree / Deciduous / Resistant to salt spray / Tolerates exposed sites / Tolerates dry sites / Attractive berries fruits or cone / Attracts bees / Timber / Firewood / Tolerates limestone soils / Cold hardy (H4) (-10 to -5C)
Broadly columnar, deciduous. Vigorous grower. Similar in all characteristics to the green leaf form. The purple colour under the leaf adds variety. White hardwood joinery timber.
Acer rubrum
American red maple Ht 15-25m
Medium tree / Deciduous / Tolerates wet sites / Attractive autumn colours - yellow / Attractive autumn colours - orange / Attractive autumn colours - red / Attractive berries fruits or cone / Attracts bees / Cold hardy (H4) (-10 to -5C)
East and Central North America. Broadly columnar, deciduous. Clusters of small red flowers before the leaves. Bluey-white under the leaves, which turn bright red in autumn. Prefers moist soils and will tolerate swampy soils.
Acer rubrum 'Columnare'
Red maple clone 'Columnare' Ht 15-25m
Medium tree / Deciduous / Tolerates wet sites / Attractive autumn colours - red / Attractive flowers or catkins / Attracts bees / Shelter / Cold hardy (H4) (-10 to -5C)
Narrow crowned clone discovered in 1894 in New York with upright branching creating a shape similar to the Lombardy poplar. Clusters of small red flowers before the green leaves, bluey-white beneath, which turn bright red in Autumn. Prefers moist, rather acid soils, becomes chlorotic on lime rich soils.
Acer rubrum 'Red Sunset'
Red maple clone 'Red Sunset'
Medium tree / Deciduous / Tolerates wet sites / Attractive autumn colours - orange / Attractive autumn colours - red / Attractive flowers or catkins / Attracts bees / Cold hardy (H4) (-10 to -5C)
Selected clone with brilliant orange and red autumn colour lasting several weeks, beginning before October Glory. Red Sunset judged the best clone for warmer Southern USA, may be best for milder parts of NZ.
Acer saccharinum
Silver maple Ht 25-30m
Medium tree / Deciduous / Tolerates wet sites / Attractive autumn colours - yellow / Attractive autumn colours - orange / Attractive autumn colours - red / Attractive berries fruits or cone / Attracts bees / Timber / Cold hardy (H4) (-10 to -5C)
East North America. Broadly columnar, deciduous. Grows in moist soils and riverbanks in its native habitat. Vigorous grower. Attractive autumn tints. Maple timber is highly prized in the USA for flooring.
Acer saccharum
Sugar maple Ht 20-30m
Medium tree / Deciduous / Attractive autumn colours - yellow / Attractive autumn colours - orange / Attractive autumn colours - red / Attractive berries fruits or cone / Attracts bees / Timber
Broadly columnar, deciduous. Appears to need fertile soils for good growth. Also known as rock maple. Spring sap is processed into maple syrup in USA and now in NZ. Orange is the predominant autumn colour, quite spectacular. Cold hardy.
Acer triflorum
Three flowered maple Ht 5-10m
Small Tree / Deciduous / Attractive autumn colours - yellow / Attractive autumn colours - orange / Attracts bees / Cold hardy (H4) (-10 to -5C)
N.E.China. Broadly spreading,deciduous. Three leaflets, turning orange and red in autumn. Grey-brown bark peeling vertically. Small yellow flowers in spring. Rare in NZ.
Acer x freemanii 'Jeffers Red'
'Autumn Blaze' maple Ht 20-25m
Medium tree / Deciduous / Attractive autumn colours - red / Attracts bees / Cold hardy (H4) (-10 to -5C)
Broadly columnar, deciduous. A. rubrum x A. saccharinum parents. This selection has vigour and green to orange and red autumn colour. Distinct upright oval form, strong branches and tolerates dry windy sites Cutting grown to avoid graft incompatibility.
Aesculus carnea
Pink horse chestnut Ht 15-20m
Small Tree / Deciduous / Attractive autumn colours - brown / Attractive flowers or catkins / Attractive berries fruits or cone / Attracts bees / Cold hardy (H4) (-10 to -5C)
A true breeding hybrid between A. hippocastanum and A. pavia. Broadly spreading, deciduous. Pink flowers followed by smooth skinned oval fruits which enclose highly polished intricately patterned conkers.
Aesculus hippocastanum
Horse chestnut Ht 20-30m
Large tree / Deciduous / Intolerant to clay soils / Attractive autumn colours - yellow / Attractive flowers or catkins / Attractive berries fruits or cone / Attracts bees / Tolerates limestone soils / Cold hardy (H4) (-10 to -5C)
Albania and Nth Greece. Broadly conical, deciduous. Large palmate compound leaves produce a dense shade. Large creamy white flowers, then prickly oval fruits, enclosing polished conkers prized by schoolboys in the UK. Best in fertile soils.