Tatarian Maple (Acer tataricum)

The Tartary maple (Acer tataricum) is a small, hardy, and elegant maple tree, highly prized for its cold hardiness, tolerance of various soil types, and beautiful fall colors. It is an excellent choice for gardens where other more delicate maples (such as Acer palmatum) would suffer.

🍁 Tartary maple – Acer tataricum

🔎 Identification

• Scientific name: Acer tataricum L.
• Common name: Tartary maple
• Family: Sapindaceae (formerly Aceraceae)
• Origin: Eastern Europe, Russia, southern Siberia, northern China, and Korea

🌳 Size and habit

• Mature height: 5 to 10 m
• Width: 4 to 6 m
• Habit: rounded, sometimes bushy
• Growth: fairly fast
• Can be grown as a shrub or small tree

🌿 Foliage

• Leaves: simple (unlike many maples), oval to slightly lobed, dark green and glossy
• Leaf size: 5–10 cm long
• Fall color: superb — red, orange, or crimson depending on conditions
• Deciduous: loses its leaves in the fall

🌸 Flowering and fruit

• Flowering: May–June
• Flowers: small, greenish-white, in upright panicles → honey-producing and discreetly scented
• Fruit: decorative red samaras (maple “helicopters”), very visible in summer

☀️ Exposure and soil

• Exposure: sun or partial shade
• Soil: very tolerant! It grows equally well in clay, limestone, or poor soils, as long as they are well-drained.
• pH: acidic to alkaline
• Drought resistance: good once established

❄️ Hardiness

• USDA zone: 3 to 8
• Withstands temperatures down to –35°C 🌨️
• Perfect for cold or continental climates

✂️ Care

• Very low maintenance: light pruning possible at the end of winter to balance the shape
• No special care required
• Resistant to disease and urban pollution

✅ Advantages

• Very hardy and adaptable
• Flamboyant fall colors 🍂
• Nectar-producing flowers in spring
• Decorative red samaras
• Good ornamental tree, even in small spaces
• Ideal for free-standing hedges, shrub beds, or as a solitary tree

❌ Note

• Less “refined” than Japanese maple (simpler foliage)
• May suckering slightly if soil is rich or moist
• Samaras may reseed spontaneously (not invasive, but keep an eye on them)