Growth form: Trident Maple trees are hardwood deciduous trees that typically grow between 20-35 feet-tall on average but can easily grow larger. Trunk circumference measures anywhere between 2 and 5 feet-wide.
Leaves, twigs, and bark: Leaves of the Trident Maple tree are 3-lobed, simple leaves that are palmately-veined slightly toothed. Twigs are long and grow downward towards the ground while the leaves grow upward away from the twig. These maples display a peeling white bark that when peeled off exposed a light-orange under layer of bark.
Simple leaves of the Trident Maple specimen #512 displaying opposite arrangement and palmate vein arrangement. (Photo by B. Ditch 10/24/19)
Trident Maple leaves display a palmate leaf arrangement. They are also slightly-toothed and display three lobes with slender pointed tips at the end of each lobe. (Photo by Brian Ditch 10/24/19)
Flowers: The females of this species produce clusters of greenish-yellow, flat-topped flowers that grow in tight clusters and bloom during the April-May time of spring.
Green and yellow flower of a Trident Maple tree (Creative Commons Image, woodspeople. image 2015)
Fruits:Like all members of the Maple family,the Trident Maple produces winged, u-shaped seeds known as samaras, that appear in late spring and remain well into the fall season.
Clusters of Trident Maple samaras. Tree #514. (Photo by B.Ditch 10/24/2019)
The winged seeds of a Trident Maple are known as samaras and are typically a golden brown color. (Creative Commons Images. councilman collection. image 2008)
Native range and habitat: Trident Maple trees are not native to the United States of America. The tree's natural habitat is the forests of eastern China.
Image showing where Asia-native Trident Maple trees are able to grow in the United States. (VT Dendrology. 2019).
Plant Family: Trident Maple trees do belong to the Maple family known as Aceraceae, however the maple family is also included in a larger family known as the Soapberry family. This family is known as Sapindaceae.
Ecologic Importance and Uses:
Edible and Medicinal Uses: The Trident Maple does produce seeds but they have not been found to be any kind of desirable food source for wildlife.
Wildlife: Because Trident Maple trees do not grow in the wild in North America, it is difficult to know what roll it plays in the diets of wildlife. As far as studies go, no evidence has been found of the samaras being desirable to wildlife.
Gardens and Landscaping: Trident Maple trees are popular when it comes to landscaping. They are valued for their attractive red color they turn in the fall time as well as the color of their bark, which is a light brown and white color. Due to their wide canopies and tall height, they can be used as shade trees.
Campus Specimens - Trident Maple Trees
State and national champions? Because Trident Maple trees do not grow in the wild there are no registered wild state or national champions, however grow for landscaping purposes, the largest Trident Maple in Virginia is registered at 164 points.
At Radford University, four Trident Maple trees can be found in a row in front of Tartan Hall.
Tree #764
Trunk circumference: 36.5 inches
Tree height: 60 feet
Crown spread: 30 feet x 26 feet Average = 28 feet
Total points: 103.5
Tree #514
Trunk circumference: 52.5 inches
Tree height: 48 feet
Crown spread: 38 feet x 30 feet Average crown spread = 34 feet
Total points: 109
Tree #512
Trunk circumference: 44 inches
Tree height: 48 feet
Crown spread: 28.5 feet x 24.5 feet Average crown spread = 26.5 feet
Total points: 98.6
References
Elpel, T. J. (2018). Botany in a Day: The Patterns Method of Plant Identification, Edition 6.1. Hops Press, Pony, MT.