Description:
The paperbark maple is one of the most beautiful of the maple family. Native to central China, this deciduous tree slowly grows up to 9 meters tall and 6 meters wide, with the trunk's circumference reaching 28 cm. The branches, which grow low to the ground, don trifoliate leaves, and the trunk is composed of orange to bronze papery bark that peels back on the trunk over time. The maple prefers full sun and moist soil for growth but will settle for partial shade as well. Though once common in central China, deforestation and lack of conservation has made it an endangered species in its native land, while it has become a popular ornamental tree around the United States.