Acer Davidii or Snake Bark Maple

Acer Davidii or Snake Bark Maple

As an ornamental tree, Acer Davidii has much to commend it. It is a maple tree that is native to China and belongs to a family of maples known as the snake bark maple due to the striking striped nature of the bark. Emerging new shoots in the spring are an eye-catching pink. As the bark matures, it turns olive green and paler vertical stripes develop. These eventually come to resemble green and white snake like stripes.

For those of us with smaller outside spaces to populate, Acer Davidii is a small tree with a nice rounded shape of the crown. On maturity, it will reach a maximum height of between 10 and 15 metres. In early spring, the snake bark maple produces racemes of small yellow flowers, followed by winged helicopter seeds. Its foliage is green, maturing to a dramatic orange and yellow in the autumn.

Left to its own devices, the snakebark maple tends to develop multi-stems, all the better for showing off the lovely green and white striped bark.

In terms of aspect, snakebark maple trees like to have a sheltered spot, although they are fully hardy for UK climates. 

Because of the beauty of these small ornamental trees and the striking serpentine bark, Acer Davidii trees tend be planted as a focal point. It is a stunning tree to have in containers.