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Acer griseum
Paperbark maple, Acer griseum, is one of the most celebrated of Ernest Henry Wilson’s more than one thousand Chinese plant introductions.
Wilson collected Acer griseum (Sapindaceae) seed in the woodlands of western Hubei, China in 1907. Unknown to cultivation in the West until then, the seedlings created significant interest, primarily because of their neat trifoliate leaves and superb, peeling, papery bark. Few maples produce flaking bark, an adaptation that effectively discourages the growth of epiphytes and clinging lianas. Isolated specimens of paperbark maple invariably produce parthenocarpic fruits (i.e., without seed), so it wasn’t until recently when nurseries began to plant seed orchards to ensure cross-pollination that plants have become commonly available.