Amur Maple tree Pros and Cons, Growth rate, Root System, Problem

The Amur maple is a big shrub or small tree that is regarded for its compact stature, fast growth, and eye-catching, bright red color in the fall. The Amur maple tree, scientifically known as Acer ginnala, is indigenous to the northern regions of Asia. They typically reach a height of 15 to 20 feet (4.5 to 6 meters), which makes them both huge shrubs and small trees. They grow in clumps naturally, giving them a much more shrub-like appearance, but they are mostly pruned to resemble a single or multiple-trunk tree.

Amur Maple Tree Pros and Cons

Some benefits of these Amur Maple trees include the following:

• They offer room for habitats for wildlife and aquatic life. Deer and rabbits consume the leaves, whereas squirrels consume the seeds.
• They provide habitat or protection for songbirds.
• Sugary sap is extracted from these trees.
• These trees are planted for livestock protection, production enhancement, and soil erosion prevention.
• Their extracts are useful in cancer research due to the astringent qualities that they possess.
• Tea substitutes are often made from the young leaves of the Amur maple.
• The Acer ginnala's dried leaves are used to make black, blue, and brown dyes. These colors contain approximately 30% tannin and the coloring agent quercetin.

Maple trees are undeniably attractive. Despite the abundance of advantages that mature maple trees provide, there are a few issues that need some attention. Disease and invasiveness are among the disadvantages associated with planting maple trees.

Amur Maple Tree Growth Rate

Amur maple is a unique low-growing tree that is cultivated as a multi-stemmed clump or as a single trunk. The growth pattern of this tree is rounded and delicately branched, and it reaches heights of up to 30 feet. It provides a substantial amount of shade. If given enough water and fertilizer, a young Amur maple grows very quickly. However, once it reaches maturity, its growth rate slows down and it retains a manageable size, making it ideal for planting under power lines. 

They are hardy enough to survive temperatures as low as -38 degrees Celsius and live for 20 to 30 years, sometimes even up to 50 years, provided that the soil and environment around them are healthy. It requires at least 130 frost-free days annually.

Amur Maple Tree Root System

Maple trees possess shallow, widely dispersed root systems. The bulk of maple roots are found in the top two feet (or sixty centimeters) of the soil, and many of them are located just below the surface. Roots are three times as wide as the tree's canopy. The Amur maple contains a somewhat shallow root system that is composed of fine, branching roots. Even though the Amur maple grows best in full sun, it is more resistant to shade than other types of maples, and the hundreds of winged seeds it produces are capable of germinating everywhere, including in the shadows. It produces seedlings that mature almost anywhere, including forest understory openings, open forests, prairies, forest margins, and open fields.

Amur Maple Tree Problem

Amur maple possesses invasive characteristics that allow it to spread quickly. A single tree mostly yields over 5,000 two-winged seeds, which are widely dispersed by wind. Amur maple is an invasive species that replaces native understory plants in open woodlands. Because of its ability to produce a thick canopy over open areas, it poses a threat to the native plant communities that support a wide variety of animal and plant life. The enormous tar spot, leaf spots, iron chlorosis, and wood rots and decays are among the fungal and bacterial diseases that affect Amur Maple trees. Other bacterial diseases include Crown gall and Verticillium Wilt.