Acer circinatum is one of three species of maples that are commonly found in the temperate forests of British Columbia.
Description:
A. circinatum is often described as a tree, but because it has a number of woody trunks (or stems) arising from one base, it can also be referred to as a shrub. The grey-green trunks often form arches as tall as 7 m (Pojar & Mackinnon 1994). The deciduous leaves have 7 to 9 lobes and may be as large as 12 cm across. In the fall, the leaves change colour from green to either yellow or red before the leaves drop.
Ecology:
Vine maple can be found in southwestern BC to northern California at low elevations. They grow in moist and wet locations, usually under the canopy of other trees (Klinkenberg 2017). Vine maples are shade tolerant, but are often found in forests with openings in the canopy (MFLNRO n.d.).
Many herbivores including deer and elk feed on the leaves. The seeds, buds and flowers are also a source of food for birds and rodents.
Many herbivores including deer and elk feed on the leaves. The seeds, buds and flowers are also a source of food for birds and rodents.
Reproduction and Dispersal:
Clusters of small white flowers are produced in the spring. Following pollination each flower will produce a double winged fruit. The seeds are dispersed in the fall, by fluttering to the ground, but can be carried considerable distances by wind. Vine maples can also reproduce vegetatively. The flexible trunks can bend to the ground, form new roots, and eventually form a separate tree (shrub) (Klinkenberg 2017). Following a disturbance such as a fire, numerous new stems can sprout from the root crown.
This shrub has a dense, hard and also flexible wood. It has no commercial value but was used for making snow shoes, spoons, baskets, nets and dishes (Pojar & Mackinnon 1994).
This shrub has a dense, hard and also flexible wood. It has no commercial value but was used for making snow shoes, spoons, baskets, nets and dishes (Pojar & Mackinnon 1994).
References cited:
Klinkenberg B, editor. 2017. E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the plants of British Columbia. Lab for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. [accessed 2018 Jan 22]. http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Acer%20circinatum.
[MFLNRO] Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations. n.d. Tree book, Learning to recognize trees of British Columbia. Vine maple – Acer circinatum. [accessed 2018 Jan 22]. https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/library/documents/treebook/vinemaple.htm.
Pojar J, MacKinnon A. 1994. Plants of coastal British Columbia: including Washington, Oregon & Alaska. Vancouver: Lone Pine Publishing.
[MFLNRO] Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations. n.d. Tree book, Learning to recognize trees of British Columbia. Vine maple – Acer circinatum. [accessed 2018 Jan 22]. https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/library/documents/treebook/vinemaple.htm.
Pojar J, MacKinnon A. 1994. Plants of coastal British Columbia: including Washington, Oregon & Alaska. Vancouver: Lone Pine Publishing.