Père David's maple
Acer davidii · Sapindaceae
📷 Abrahami · CC BY-SA 2.5
The gardener's calendar
In autumn, ease off feeding and take the chance to clean up around père david's maple and prepare for winter.
ID card
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Blooming
- April to May, discreet yellow-green flowers
- Adult size
- 8 m in height, spreading form
- Growth
- Moderate to fast
- Hardiness
- Down to approximately -15 °C
- Origin
- Central and western China
- Soil type
- Well-drained soils, slightly acidic to neutral
- Bark
- Characteristic green striped with white, highly ornamental
✓ Taxonomy verifiedSource: AI estimate · hardiness: reliability high.
Expert tips
The key tip
Acer davidii displays beautiful striated wood: no useful pruning except for cleaning. Its naturally tiered structure is ideal.
The common mistake
Pruning to force branching damages its characteristic architecture.
The pro's trick
Plant it as a specimen tree to appreciate the striped bark of young shoots.
Seasonal watch
Prolonged drought in the first 3 years slows establishment: deep watering is important.
Care
Exposure
Plant David's Maple in full sun or partial shade for optimal growth and maximum bark coloration. Generous light exposure enhances the beauty of its striped trunk. Avoid windy locations that could stress the tree.
Watering
Water regularly during the first year after planting to promote root establishment. Once established, this maple tolerates moderate dry periods well, but prefers soil kept moist. During heat waves, increase watering frequency.
Soil and planting
Choose well-drained soil, preferably slightly acidic to neutral. Enrich the planting soil with compost or decomposed organic matter. This maple appreciates deep soils that allow root development without obstruction.
Pruning and structure
Prune young plants lightly to create a harmonious structure and air out the center if needed. Prefer pruning in late winter or early spring before leaf emergence. Remove dead or diseased branches as soon as you spot them.
Fertilizer
Apply balanced fertilizer in spring when growth resumes. One application per year is usually sufficient for an established maple. Avoid excess nitrogen, which would promote leaf growth at the expense of wood strength.
Diseases and pests
This maple is rarely affected by serious diseases. Watch for scale insects in warm, humid climates. A tree stressed by drought or planted in overly compacted soil may be more vulnerable; maintain adequate growing conditions.
Did you know?
David's Maple is named after Armand David, a French Jesuit and botanist who explored China in the 19th century. Its green bark striped with white is its most remarkable signature: it remains brilliant even in winter, offering exceptional visual presence in a garden lacking foliage.
Where to buy it
Best planted in autumn so the roots settle in before summer, or in early spring once the frost has passed. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: March, October, November.
Add this plant to my garden →Plants from the same family
- Japanese mapleAcer palmatum
- Sycamore mapleAcer pseudoplatanus
- Norway mapleAcer platanoides
- Field mapleAcer campestre
- Marronnier dindeAesculus hippocastanum
- Box elderAcer negundo
Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.