Maples for Gardens

by Gelderen, C. J. Van; Gelderen, D. M. Van

• ISBN13: 9780881924725
• ISBN10: 0881924725
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1999-09-01
• Publisher: Timber Pr

Summary

This photo gallery of the best maples for garden use is a complement both to Maples of the World and to J. D. Vertrees's Japanese Maples, since more than a third of the book is devoted to Acer palmatum, including many new and unusual cultivars. The photographs, taken in locations in seven countries, demonstrate the wonderful diversity of form, color, and size that makes maples so useful in gardens of every kind.

Table of Contents

Preface	7	(2)
The Magic of Maples	9	(2)
Maples in Nature	11	(4)
Habit	12	(1)
Leaves	12	(1)
Flowers	13	(1)
Fruits and Seeds	13	(1)
Wood and Roots	13	(2)
Classification of Maples	15	(8)
Taxonomy of the Genus Acer	16	(3)
Hybrids	19	(1)
Cultivars	19	(4)
Maples in the Garden	23	(4)
Establishment and Maintenance	24	(1)
Pests and Diseases	24	(1)
Hardiness	24	(1)
Propagation	25	(2)
The Maples	27	(240)
About the Descriptions	27	(1)
About the Photographs	28	(1)
Photographic Locations	28	(239)
Appendix 1 Where to See Maples	267	(2)
Appendix 2 Maples for Particular Purposes	269	(4)
Appendix 3 Hardiness Zone Maps	273	(2)
Glossary	275	(1)
For Further Information on Maples	276	(1)
Index of Maples by Scientific Name	277	(9)
Index of Maples by Common or Cultivar Name	286

Excerpts

Woods and Roots All maples are woody. The wood is hard and finely grained and has been used for making tools, toys, furniture, and musical instruments. Among a diversity of uses of maples by Native North Americans, wood of Acer glabrum (Rocky Mountain maple) was used to make snowshoes and tepee pegs; A. macrophyllum (big-leaf maple), canoe paddles; and A. saccharinum (silver maple), arrows.The root system is much branched, helping trees maintain their stability. Roots of most if not all maples develop a symbiotic relationship with particular fungi, forming structures called mycorrhizae. The fungi assist maples in the uptake of certain nutrients from the soil, such as phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur. Fertilizing a maple may reduce its mycorrhizal population. Fruits and Seeds Maple fruits are distinctively shaped and arranged in the form of paired nutlets, each with a wing. Such a fruit is called a samara. The nutlets may be small and an entire samara not longer than 5mm (3/16 inch), or quite large with samaras 50mm (2 inches) long.Some maples produce fruits abundantly but may not set viable seed. The phenomenon of producing fruits without fertilization is called parthenocarpy. The tendency to parthenocarpy varies depending on the species. An example of a strong tendency to parthenocarpy is provided by Acer griseum, paperbark maple. One may harvest buckets full of fruits but usually they are all sterile. In addition to the phenomenon of dioecism, discussed with "Flowers," some maples may produce male and female flowers on different branches of the same tree, which is called monoecism. Usually there is sufficient pollination in monoecious maples to produce a crop of viable seeds.