Trident Maple

Trident Maple

Acer buergerianum

Aceraceae (Maple Family)

▲ small tree

▲ ▼ three-lobed leaves

▲ bark

Location near Missouri State University campus: in 800 to 1000 blocks of South Kickapoo, two blocks east of MSU campus

Acer buergeranum: Trident Maple

• leaves opposite, simple, deciduous, palmately 3-lobed; shiny dark green above; glabrous when mature; 1.5 -3.5" long and as wide; often reddish fall color
• stems slender, gray-brown and pubescent when young; darker brown and glabrous with age; solid greenish white pith
• bark is gray-brown-orange, somewhat exfoliating with platy scales
• grows 20-30' tall and wide in oval to rounded form
• prefers full sun and well-drained acid soil; very tolerant of dry soils once established
• slow to medium growth rate-- slower with age
• similar to Acer truncatum (Shantung Maple), except Shantung Maple leaves have 5 lobes, instead of 3 as on Trident Maple