Acer × pseudoheldreichii Fukarek & Celjo

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The Wynkcoombe Arboretum

Credits

John Grimshaw, Ross Bayton and Dan Crowley (2020)

Recommended citation
Grismshaw, J., Bayton, R. & Crowley, D. (2020), 'Acer × pseudoheldreichii' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/acer/acer-x-pseudoheldreichii/). Accessed 2024-03-18.

Genus

  • Acer
  • Sect. Acer, Ser. Acer

Infraspecifics

Other taxa in genus

Glossary

dbh
Diameter (of trunk) at breast height. Breast height is defined as 4.5 feet (1.37 m) above the ground.
taxon
(pl. taxa) Group of organisms sharing the same taxonomic rank (family genus species infraspecific variety).

Credits

John Grimshaw, Ross Bayton and Dan Crowley (2020)

Recommended citation
Grismshaw, J., Bayton, R. & Crowley, D. (2020), 'Acer × pseudoheldreichii' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/acer/acer-x-pseudoheldreichii/). Accessed 2024-03-18.

This taxon is the result of a cross between A. pseudoplatanus and A. heldreichii, and occurs both in the wild and freely in horticulture. It is a large tree, with a habit similar to that of the parents. Leaves deciduous, palmately 5-lobed, 10–15 cm across, divided to half of the blade length, upper surface green with deeper green veins, lower surface glaucous or light green; autumn colour yellow. Samaras on long, pendulous racemes; samaras 3–5 cm long. (van Gelderen et al. 1994).

Distribution  AlbaniaBosnia and HerzegovinaBulgariaGreeceNorth MacedoniaMontenegroSerbia

Habitat As for the parent species.

USDA Hardiness Zone 5

Conservation status Not evaluated (NE)

A Sycamore look-alike will perhaps not often be the first choice for planting, but in a large arboretum the mass of dark foliage provided by Acer × pseudoheldreichii could be a useful foil to other trees. It is very hardy, and large specimens are recorded from the Belmont Arboretum, Wageningen, the Netherlands (van Gelderen et al. 1994), Rogów Arboretum (P. Banaszczak, pers. comm. 2007), and Kew, where it was 15 m, dbh 41 cm in 2010 (The Tree Register 2018). From A. pseudoplatanus, its leaves are more deeply dissected, more similiar to A. heldreichii, while it lacks the dark brown buds of that species. They may be edged brown in this taxon, but are predominantly green.


'Blagdon'

RHS Hardiness Rating: H7

Much more interesting than the typical form of this hybrid, ‘Blagdon’ is a darkleaved clone raised from A. heldreichii seeds by the late Matthew Ridley at Blagdon, Northumberland. It is assumed that the other parent was A. pseudoplatanus ‘Atropurpureum’. The attractively shaped, deeply lobed leaves of the selection remain purple-tinged all summer. The original tree was measured at 12 m tall in 2013 (The Tree Register 2018). Grafted plants have been widely distributed from Blagdon, though, as of April 2020, it appears not yet to be in commerce. A young tree at Westonbirt Arboretum, Gloucestershire, developed an untidy form at first, though has since gained a more upright habit (pers. obs).