ABSTRACT
Acers are mostly restricted to the Northern Hemisphere, where they are widely distributed throughout Europe, North Africa, Asia and North America, an exception is a small incursion by A. laurinum across the equator into Indonesia. High value timber is obtained from certain species and A. saccharum has an important role in the production of maple syrup. The Japanese maple, in a multitude of varieties, is among the most popular of all woody ornamentals and propagated in very large numbers by bench grafting. An interesting feature of Maples is the parallel between compatible graft unions and existing natural or artificial hybrids. Some Japanese maples are grafted to produce so-called ‘novelty plants’ involving several rootstock stems plaited together, each one being top-grafted with a dissected or weeping form at 500–800mm high. Most Acer rootstocks are raised from seed, and choices on what to grow are made on the basis of known compatible combinations.
