The Winter Garden is beginning to wake from its summer slumber, with this maple, Acer davidii ssp. grosseri bringing a welcome splash of autumn colour.
The genus Acer numbers some 120 species which occur naturally in Europe, North Africa, Asia, and North and Central America. This species, originating in northern and central China, is a spreading tree reaching 10 m in height. Though grown here for its attractive green barked, striped white-grey, the red autumn foliage is a welcome bonus. The 2-lobed leaves are triangular-ovate in outline, and have toothed margins.
It was introduced to Kew from the Arnold Arboretum in the United States, in 1927.