Native Plants

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Wednesday - October 24, 2007

From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Trees
Title: Native trees as alternatives to Japanese Red Maple
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

Where can I find some Japanese Red Maples to collect seed?

ANSWER:

The focus and expertise of the Wildflower Center is with plants native to North America and, while Acer palmatum (Japanese red maple) is not considered invasive, it is native to Japan and other Asian countries and NOT North America. Doubtless you could find trees of this species for sale in various local nurseries, but Mr. Smarty Plants would like to urge you to consider a native alternative. Here are some possibilities:

Acer grandidentatum (bigtooth maple)

Cotinus obovatus (American smoketree)

Rhus lanceolata (prairie sumac)

Fraxinus texensis (Texas ash)

Acer grandidentatum

Cotinus obovatus

Rhus lanceolata