Acer fabri Seeds | Faber’s Maple
LATIN NAME: Acer fabri
COMMON NAME: Faber’s Maple
Plant Profile
Faber’s Maple (Acer fabri) is an evergreen to semi-evergreen tree of the soapberry family (Sapindaceae), native to the forests of southern and southwestern China and northern Vietnam. Unusual among maples for keeping its foliage through winter, it reaches 10-20 m, with long, leathery, unlobed or shallowly lobed leaves and clusters of winged samaras. It is one of the most distinctive of the subtropical Chinese maples.
Science & Biotechnology
The species features in the wider study of the Acer group, and its traits make it a useful subject for work on germination biology, cultivation and ornamental selection. From a research perspective, species of this kind are valuable material for work on propagation and on the selection of uniform lines.
Uses & Benefits
Faber’s Maple brings genuine presence to the garden and earns its keep across the growing season. Within its native subtropical range, Faber’s maple contributes to structure of warm mountain forest and offers year-round foliage cover unusual among maples. After the first season it asks for very little beyond a place that suits it.
Maples give more than syrup and shade: the bark of several species appears in East Asian folk medicine for liver and eye comfort, and maple polyphenols, the glucitol-core gallotannins, are an active research area. Sugar maple’s mineral-rich sap remains one of the great wild tonics of the northern spring.
Growing from Seed
Sow fresh seed of Faber’s Maple under ordinary good conditions. Fresh seed generally germinates without a lengthy cold-stratification requirement, given this species’ subtropical origin, though a brief period of cool, moist conditioning can help even out results. Sow into a loose, humus-rich, well-drained mix, and keep young plant in warm, humid, filtered-light conditions that echo its native southern Chinese mountain forest. Sow the seeds evenly over the surface and cover lightly in a loose, well-drained seed compost, keep the sowing evenly moist, and give the pot or tray bright light. When the young plants are big enough to handle, space them into pots or a nursery row and let them size up before their final move.
Our Take
The medicinal tradition behind this species, outlined above, is a large part of its interest. Faber’s Maple has real presence in the garden without demanding much in return. Even moisture while the seed is chitting is the main thing; afterwards it largely looks after itself.
Related Reading
Gardeners who grow Faber’s Maple often pair it with these related subjects: