Herb latin name: Acer sterculiaceum


Synonyms: Acer sterculaceum, Acer villosum


Family: Aceraceae (Maple Family)



Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Tree

Height:
6 m
(20 feet)

Habitat of Acer sterculiaceum:

Forests at altitudes between 2100 - 3900 metres.

Other uses of the herb:

The leaves are packed around apples, rootcrops etc to help preserve them. Wood - close grained, moderately hard, beautifully mottled. Used mainly for fuel.

Propagation of Acer sterculiaceum:

Seed is seldom available for this species. when obtained, it is 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. This species, however, has brittle branches and so it can be difficult to find suitable branches to layer. 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. Cuttings of this species are almost impossible to root. Grafting can be quite difficult because there are no suitable rootstocks in this section of the genus. Scions of A. pseudoplatanus can be used and are more or less successful.

Cultivation of the herb:

Forests at altitudes between 2100 - 3900 metres.

Medicinal use of Acer sterculiaceum:

None known

Known hazards of Acer sterculiaceum:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.