Moosewood, Striped maple, Moosewood, Pennsylvania Maple
Acer pensylvanicum
Family: Aceraceae
What it is like
Bloom Color: Green. Main Bloom Time: Early spring, Late spring, Mid spring. Form: Oval, Rounded, Upright or erect.
Acer pensylvanicum is a deciduous Tree growing to 4.5 m (14ft 9in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3. It is in flower in May, and the seeds ripen in July. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 4.5
Where it is found
Moist rich woodlands, often by water, from sea level to 1,000 metres. Usually in the shade of other trees and occasionally forming a large part of the shrubby undergrowth.
Eastern N. America - Nova Scotia to Georgia, west to Michigan.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 0
Medicine
Rating: 1
A tea made from the inner bark is used in the treatment of colds, coughs, bronchitis, kidney infections, gonorrhoea and the spitting of blood. A wash is used externally on swollen limbs and as a wash for paralysis. A tea made from the leaves and twigs is used to both allay and induce vomiting, depending on the dosage.
Antiemetic: Prevents vomiting.
Emetic: Induces vomiting.
Kidney: Used in the treatment of kidney diseases
Pectoral: Relieves respiratory diseases, a remedy for chest diseases.
Other
Rating: 2
The leaves are packed around apples, rootcrops etc to help preserve them. The wood is light, soft, close-grained and satiny, it weighs 33lb per cubic foot. It is not used commercially, though it is sometimes used for fuel.
Preservative: For food, or for treating wood, ropes etc.
How it is grown
Landscape Uses:Erosion control. Of easy cultivation, it prefers a sunny position or light dappled shade and a good moist well-drained soil but succeeds on most soils, especially those on the acid side, and dislikes alkaline soils. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Plants are hardy to about -25°c when they are fully dormant. A good tree for street planting. Most maples are bad companion plants, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants. Special Features:North American native, Inconspicuous flowers or blooms.
Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame, it usually germinates in the following spring. Pre-soak stored seed for 24 hours and then stratify for 2 - 4 months at 1 - 8°c. It can be slow to germinate. The seed can be harvested 'green' (when it has fully developed but before it has dried and produced any germination inhibitors) and sown immediately. It should germinate in late winter. If the seed is harvested too soon it will produce very weak plants or no plants at all. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on until they are 20cm or more tall before planting them out in their permanent positions. Layering, which takes about 12 months, is successful with most species in this genus. Cuttings of young shoots in June or July. The cuttings should have 2 - 3 pairs of leaves, plus one pair of buds at the base. Remove a very thin slice of bark at the base of the cutting, rooting is improved if a rooting hormone is used. The rooted cuttings must show new growth during the summer before being potted up otherwise they are unlikely to survive the winter. Grafting is not usually advised for this species, though any cultivars can be grafted onto rootstocks of the species.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Dappled Shade;
Habit: Tree
Hardiness: 3-7
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Moist