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About this product
Acer davidii – Père David's Maple (Snakebark Maple)
Plant Highlights: Distinctive green and white striped bark • Fresh green foliage with excellent autumn colour • Elegant small ornamental tree • Attractive year-round interest • Ideal for woodland-style and specimen planting
Overview
Acer davidii, commonly known as Père David's Maple or Snakebark Maple, is a graceful deciduous tree valued for its striking bark as much as its foliage. Young branches and trunks are bright green with distinctive white vertical stripes, creating an attractive feature throughout the year, particularly during winter when the tree is bare.
In spring and summer, the tree carries fresh green leaves that create a light, airy canopy before turning shades of yellow, orange and red in autumn. Its elegant habit and ornamental bark make it an excellent choice as a specimen tree for gardens where it can be appreciated in every season.
Plant Details
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Acer davidii |
| Common Name | Père David's Maple, Snakebark Maple |
| Plant Type | Deciduous ornamental tree |
| Position | Full sun or partial shade |
| Soil | Fertile, moist but well-drained soil |
| Foliage | Fresh green, turning yellow, orange and red in autumn |
| Bark | Green with distinctive white stripes |
| Flowering Season | Spring |
| Habit | Upright, broadly spreading with age |
| Mature Height | 8–12m |
| Mature Spread | 6–8m |
| Hardiness | RHS H5 (−15°C to −10°C). |
Growing Guide
| Pruning | Requires minimal pruning. Remove any dead, diseased or crossing branches in late autumn to mid-winter while fully dormant to avoid sap bleeding. |
|---|
Plant in fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. In Ireland, it performs particularly well in a sheltered position where the attractive bark can be enjoyed throughout the year. Water regularly during establishment and during prolonged dry spells.
Apply a mulch of organic matter in spring to help conserve soil moisture and improve soil structure, keeping it clear of the trunk.
Wildlife
The spring flowers provide an early nectar source for pollinating insects, while the tree contributes to the diversity and structure of wildlife-friendly gardens.
Why We Love It
Unlike many ornamental maples, Acer davidii offers genuine four-season interest. The beautifully striped bark provides a striking winter feature, while the fresh foliage and reliable autumn colour ensure it remains a focal point throughout the year.
Perfect For
- Specimen planting
- Woodland gardens
- Mixed borders
- Larger gardens
- Sheltered courtyards
Product Information
- Deciduous ornamental tree.
- Distinctive green and white striped bark.
- Fresh green foliage with vibrant autumn colour.
- Suitable for full sun or partial shade.
- Best grown in fertile, moist but well-drained soil.
- Excellent as a year-round specimen tree.
Good to Know: If supplied grafted or with a specified pot size or height, these measurements refer to the plant at the time of sale and not its eventual mature size. The ornamental striped bark becomes increasingly prominent as the tree establishes.
Growing & care
- Plant type
- tree
- Position & light
- Full sun· Partial shade· Sheltered
- Watering
- moderate
- Soil & drainage
- Acid neutral· Well drained· Moist
- Mature size
- 12.0m high· 8.0m wide
- Foliage
- deciduous
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