Aesculus hippocastanum
Horse chestnut Ht 20-30m
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.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- 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
Aesculus carnea
Pink horse chestnut Ht 15-20m
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.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Small Tree
- Deciduous
- Attractive autumn colours - brown
- Attractive flowers or catkins
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Attracts bees
Acer saccharinum
Silver maple Ht 25-30m
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.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- 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
Acer saccharum
Sugar maple Ht 20-30m
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.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Medium tree
- Deciduous
- Attractive autumn colours - yellow
- Attractive autumn colours - orange
- Attractive autumn colours - red
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Attracts bees
- Timber
Acer rubrum 'Red Sunset'
Red maple clone 'Red Sunset'
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.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Medium tree
- Deciduous
- Tolerates wet sites
- Attractive autumn colours - orange
- Attractive autumn colours - red
- Attractive flowers or catkins
- Attracts bees
Acer rubrum `Columnare'
Red maple clone 'Columnare' Ht 15-25m
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.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Medium tree
- Deciduous
- Tolerates wet sites
- Attractive autumn colours - red
- Attractive flowers or catkins
- Attracts bees
- Shelter
Acer rubrum
American red maple Ht 15-25m
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.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- 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
Acer pseudoplatanus purpureum
Sycamore (purple under leaf) Ht 25-30m
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.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Large tree
- Deciduous
- Resistant to salt spray
- Tolerates exposed sites
- Tolerates dry sites
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Attracts bees
- Timber
- Firewood
Acer pseudoplatanus
Sycamore Ht 25-30m
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.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- 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
Acer macrophyllum
Oregon maple Ht 20-25m
W. Nth America. Broadly columnar, deciduous. Largest of the maple leaves. Prefers moist soils. Flowers yellow and fragrant in hanging clusters as the leaves emerge.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Medium tree
- Deciduous
- Attractive autumn colours - yellow
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Attracts bees
- Timber
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