Acer Griseum

Reaching 25-30 feet tall and 20 feet wide, the Paperbark Maple is a Chinese maple tree that demonstrates many attractive characteristics all through the changing seasons. The leaves are trifoliate (three-lobed) and emerge as a red color in the spring, quickly turning green on top with a soft and fuzzy gray underside. Green flourishes until the end of summer, and tiny yellow flowers present as a color contrast to the leaves. In the fall, the leaves dramatically turn bright oranges and reds.
Throughout the year as the tree grows, the bark peels off in thin, papery pieces that curl up in a cinnamon stick-like fashion and seems to disappear. The bark exhibiting a red glow when the sun shines through- especially during the sunset. During the winter, the exfoliating bark is uniquely displayed on the bare branches and guaranteed to standout. The Paperbark Maple has become endangered in the United States because it is very difficult to propagate. Its scientific name “Acer Griseum” means “gray maple” in a nod to the gray color revealed when the wind blows and exposes the underside of the leaves. Sun, heat, and drought tolerant, the Paperbark is a perfect tree if you are looking for something that will provide shade and thrive in the blazing summers of Tennessee.