Acer spicatum Lam. Mountain Maple
A small, sometimes bushy, maple native to east N. America, and sometimes cultivated in parks for ornament. Height to 7.5rn (25ft). Flowers open in June in an erect spike, 7.5-15cm (3-6in) with male flowers at top and female lower down. The keys have wings about 1cm (½in) long, red and yellow, going brown in the autumn. Leaves are usually 3, but sometimes 5-lobed, downy on the underside, and usually less heart-shaped at the base than is shown. They colour orange, yellow and red in autumn. Bark is smooth and reddish brown. Z2.