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Native Plant Database

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Acer rubrum var. trilobum (Trident maple)
Wasowski, Sally and Andy

Acer rubrum var. trilobum Torr. & Gray ex K. Koch

Trident maple, Trident red maple

Aceraceae (Maple Family)

USDA Symbol: ACRUT

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

Acer rubrum var. trilobum shares the general characteristics of its species but always has hairy-on-the-underside 3-lobed leaves, the lower 2 lobes of which are somewhat compressed. Its leaves are also more likely to turn yellow in the fall than those of varieties rubrum and drummondii, though red is still common. It prefers drier sites than variety drummondii.

 

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Root Type: Fibrous
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Leaf Arrangement: Opposite
Leaf Complexity: Palmate
Leaf Pubescence: Hirsute
Leaf Margin: Serrate
Breeding System: Flowers Unisexual , Dioecious
Leaf: Green, turning red or yellow in fall. This variety is more likely to have yellow autumn foliage than the other Acer rubrum varieties.
Autumn Foliage: yes
Flower:
Fruit: Red
Size Class: 36-72 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Red
Bloom Time: May
Bloom Notes: Male blooms are showiest

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , CT , DE , FL , GA , IL , IN , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MO , MS , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , TN , TX , VA , VT , WV
Canada: NB , NS
Native Distribution: Eastern Canada south to Florida, west to east Texas and Oklahoma
Native Habitat: Woodland. Often found in drier sites than other Acer rubrum varieties.
USDA Native Status: L48(N), CAN(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
Soil pH: Acidic (pH<6.8) , Circumneutral (pH 6.8-7.2)
Drought Tolerance: Medium
Cold Tolerant: yes
Heat Tolerant: yes

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Valued for its brilliant fall color, red male flowers in spring, and red samaras in spring on female trees
Use Wildlife: Attracts a variety of birds and mammals to its fruits and leaves. Home to a bevy of insects, including several sphinx moth species.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Birds
Larval Host: For several sphinx moth species.
Deer Resistant: No

Herbarium Specimen(s)

NPSOT 0275 Collected June 1, 1993 in Bexar County by Harry Cliffe
* Available Online from Wildflower Center Store

Bibliography

* Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants (2009) Tallamy, Douglas W.
Bibref 481 - How to Grow Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest: Revised and Updated Edition (2001) Nokes, J.
Bibref 293 - Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas (1979) Correll, D. S. & M. C. Johnston
Bibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
Bibref 281 - Shinners & Mahler's Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas (1999) Diggs, G. M.; B. L. Lipscomb; B. O'Kennon; W. F...

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Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Acer rubrum var. trilobum in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Acer rubrum var. trilobum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Acer rubrum var. trilobum

Metadata

Record Modified: 2009-11-26
Research By: TWC Staff, GDG

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