Friends of Belfast Botanic Gardens

Tree of the month series - this series of short articles about trees in the Belfast Botanic Gardens is compiled by members of the Friends group and Gardens staff. We aim to build up to a comprehensive archive of trees in Belfast Botanic Gardens. Each article illustrates a tree growing in Belfast Botanic Gardens together with information from a range of sources. Where possible we will give the tree tag number - these are the small aluminium discs, usually fixed on the tree trunk, 2 to 3m above ground level. Click here to view the tree archive

Jon Pilcher

Acer freemanii is a hybrid between A. rubrum and A. saccharinum, both parents being North American natives. The original tree was selected and registered by Willet Wandell in central Illinois. It makes a substantial tree up to 20m high, a narrow shape when young as in the Belfast Botanic Gardens, but more spreading as it ages. There are a number of different versions of this hybridization - other variations are Autumn Blaze, Celebration, Morgan and Marmo. These vary in final height, leaf shape and growth form. All have deeply cut leaves turning red or orange-red in autumn, small red flowers in spring and reddish young stems.

Acer freemanii in Belfast Botanic Gardens - mid summer	Acer freemanii in Belfast Botanic Gardens - autumn
Acer freemanii autumn colour	Acer freemanii leaf

Photos taken in 2009 and 2010 in Belfast Botanic Gardens, Copyright Jon Pilcher