Nursery
WI Natives
Trending Topics
State Street™ Miyabe Maple
Acer miyabei ‘Morton’
Description & Overview
State Street™ Miyabe Maple has a uniform, broad-pyramidal shape with excellent branching characteristics. Thick, clean dark green foliage holds its color late in the season then rapidly turns a pleasing soft yellow in autumn. Extremely tough, State Street™ Miyabe Maple is an excellent, hardy alternative to the similarly shaped (but less adaptable) Hedge Maple (Acer campestre). A Chicagoland Grows® introduction.
Core Characteristics
Suggested Uses:
State Street™ Miyabe Maple is excellent as a specimen or part of an allée. Its medium leaves are easy to clean up in fall and its samaras are not as numerous as those of Norway Maple or Silver Maple. Its unique texture stands out in winter compared to other maples.
Wildlife Value:
Miyabe Maple provides habitat to birds and wildlife in its canopy. While its seeds may provide some food to wildlife, Miyabe Maple isn’t of any significant importance to our native species.
Maintenance Tips:
Like all newly establishing trees, Miyabe Maple should be watered weekly for the first year. Once established, the tree can tolerate wet or dry soils. The trunk, although corky, should be protected in winter months from deer damage in areas where deer are frequently found. Pruning should be done in winter when the tree is dormant. Avoid pruning during spring as maples will ‘bleed’ sap.
Pests/Problems:
State Street™ Miyabe Maple may be susceptible to Verticillium Wilt when stressed. Otherwise it has no serious insect or disease issues.
Leaf Lore:
Miyabe Maple is native to a few scattered locations in Hokkaido, Japan, and is endangered due to habitat loss. Its name comes from Professor Kingo Miyabe, the Japanese botanist who first discovered the tree. It was first grown in the US at the Morton Arboretum.
Miyabe Maple was selected from a tree planted at the Morton Arboretum in 1929. The original tree is still standing and about 60’ tall. The plant has excellent tolerance of alkaline soils and is able to grow in a range of moisture levels. Heat and drought tolerant, this is an excellent choice for tough urban sites.
Companion Plants:
Plant Variegated Solomon’s Seal or Coralbell cultivars beneath for an attractive border.
