How to Grow Trident Maple From Seed
The trident maple, also known as Acer buergeranum, is a medium-sized tree with dark green, glossy, three-lobed leaves that mature into bright shades of bronze and orange in the fall. It does well in poor soil and in dry conditions, and it is a good candidate for urban streets with its shallow root system. In the early fall you will see thousands of seeds floating down. You can collect these seeds and plant them to grow new trees.
Place the trident maple seeds in a damp paper towel and fold it over three of four times, so that the seeds are well-surrounded in dampness. Place the folded paper towel in a plastic bag and put it in the back of your refrigerator for eight to 10 weeks. This is its resting time, and without it, it would probably never sprout.
- The trident maple, also known as Acer buergeranum, is a medium-sized tree with dark green, glossy, three-lobed leaves that mature into bright shades of bronze and orange in the fall.
- Place the trident maple seeds in a damp paper towel and fold it over three of four times, so that the seeds are well-surrounded in dampness.
Take the seeds out of the paper towel carefully. Some of them may have already sprouted, so be careful not to break off the fragile roots. They should be ready at this stage to break out of their dormancy.
Fill some small plant pots with a dampened lightweight potting soil, such as a mix of perlite and peat moss, that will hold moisture without getting too damp. Poke a 1-inch hole in the soil with the back of a pencil. Place the seed into the hole, allowing the winged part to stick out if still attached to the seed. Firm the soil back in around the seed.
- Take the seeds out of the paper towel carefully.
- Place the seed into the hole, allowing the winged part to stick out if still attached to the seed.
Water the planted seeds and place them in a sunny window in the early spring. You should see signs of growth within a few days. Typically, the trident maple is fast to grow once the seed has germinated. Water only when the soil is dry.
Transplant the seedling outside to a prepared site when it is about 6 to 10 inches high. Keep as much of the soil around the roots as possible to minimize any shock to the plant. Trident maples are easy to transplant with their shallow root system.
- Water the planted seeds and place them in a sunny window in the early spring.
- Keep as much of the soil around the roots as possible to minimize any shock to the plant.
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Writer Bio
Maryland resident Heide Braley is a professional writer who contributes to a variety of websites. She has focused more than 10 years of research on botanical and garden articles and was awarded a membership to the Society of Professional Journalists. Braley has studied at Pennsylvania State University and Villanova University.
