Maple Leaves Forever

News & Info...

New MLF Offering

In the spring of 2010, we will be offering a limited number of Acer freemani bare root seedlings to those applicants who request them. Acer freemani is a naturally occurring native cross between Red Maple (Acer rubrum) and Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum). It occurs in the east of Canada in the range where silver and red maples overlap. Its taxonomy has been formally accepted by authorities (ITIS Taxonomy No. 500949) and its common name is Freeman’s Maple. The cross was first identified in the early 1950s as a common naturally occurring hybrid.

We are confident that this tree qualifies as meeting the criteria of an MLF Maple. It is not a man-induced cultivar or variation, rather mother nature has been naturally cross breeding these two maples for centuries and the resulting Freeman’s Maple has a unique leaf shape and a growth habit which occurs consistently. It is part of the plant kingdom’s natural biodiversity.

We have verified that the seed, from which these seedlings have been grown, was collected by certified seed collectors from native mature Freeman’s Maple trees in a location within an identified seed zone. The attributes of this cross are a blend of the characteristics of red and sugar maples. The range of sites on which Freeman’s Maple thrives is broader and spans quite wet to upland drier sites. Fall colouring is more vivid and redder than the plain yellow of silver maple. In future, these seedlings may well be grown into bare root saplings or containerized.

< Previous Page