Acer davidii - Erable du père David, Erable peau de serpent, Erable jaspé

Acer davidii is commonly known as the Snakebark maple due to its highly ornamental bark. This medium-sized tree, with an upright habit that spreads to form a more or less rounded crown, is greatly admired for its marbled bark, which green background is adorned with silvery-white veins. Its leaves are entire (not lobed) with a heart-shaped base, and a beautiful, pure green that perfectly complements that of the branches. In autumn, they take on lovely yellow and red hues before falling, revealing the beauty of the bark. Preferring light shade that protects the trunk from harsh sun, this charming maple thrives in cool, well-drained, neutral to acidic, humus-bearing soil. Sowing is a good propagation method, which can generate some variability between individuals.

Formerly a member of the Aceraceae family, from which it derived its name, the genus Acer (Maple) is now part of the Sapindaceae family. Rich with approximately 2000 species, it hosts other ornamental genera such as Xanthoceras, a superb bush still too rarely planted, or the Koelreuteria, a charming small tree more common in our gardens.
A genus favoured by collectors, the maple comprises around 150 species, a large majority originating from Asia. This is the case with Acer davidii, discovered by Father David (and named in his honour), a French missionary sent to China in the 19th century, who sent it to the Jardin des Plantes in Paris in 1879. The species grows wild in the Chinese provinces of Yunnan, Hubei and Sichuan, forming a tree reaching 12 to 17 m in height. It develops within temperate mixed forests, at altitudes of 1000 to 3000 m, and withstands cold well, down to -20° to -25°C. In our climates, it forms a large multi-stemmed shrub, or a small tree, often branched quite low, reaching 5 or 6 m in height in 10 years, then around 9 m in 20 years and at ripeness, it typically peaks at 12-14 m.
Its growth is very ramified, with main branches frequently almost vertical and secondary shoots at a diagonal, with V-shaped insertion angles. Consequently, spreading over time, it eventually forms a relatively rounded crown. The bark covering the main trunk and branches is one of the most decorative among ornamental trees. Green in colour, it is streaked with grey, white, and silvery veins that justify its nickname of "Snakebark" maple (even though other species exhibit this characteristic, such as Acer capillipes, A. pensylvanicum or A. rufinerve). The bark is all the more beautiful the younger the branches are, and when it is protected from harsh sun by light shade. It is further enhanced by rain, which brings out the colours and encourages enjoying the garden.
The foliage is hardly lobed as it is in many other species, the leaves are heart-shaped at the base then quite elongated, measuring 8 to 16 cm long. Their edge is dentate, and they are a beautiful satin green. The laminae are borne on a sometimes red petiole, which then contrasts harmoniously with the surrounding green. Nevertheless, some individuals have green petioles, the species naturally exhibiting a certain variability. When autumn arrives, the tree takes on warm colours, in yellow and red tones, expressed occasionally differently between individuals.
The flowering, which appears around April, at the same time or a little after the young leaves, is pleasant but without great ornamental interest. Clusters of about twenty small flowers form then, but their greenish-yellow colour contrasts too little with the foliage. After fertilization, they will produce in autumn the doubly winged seeds, which botanists call a pair of samaras and children "helicopters", because they fall to the ground spinning. Green in colour, occasionally slightly red, then turning brown, they have no more ornamental interest than the flowers, but allow the tree to ensure its progeny. Winter temperatures then ensure dormancy break, allowing the seed to germinate in spring when the soil temperature rises in a natural medium. It is this natural phenomenon that is reproduced by stratifying the seeds in a moist sandy or peaty medium kept in the fridge before sowing.

Acer davidii is a superb small tree with warm autumn colours and decorative bark all year round. You can create a superb scene by associating it with other plants with ornamental bark, such as Prunus maackii 'Amber Beauty', with its fabulous orange trunk, white flowering, and foliage turning yellow at the end of the season. In the background, the Himalayan birch will provide your maple with the light shade it appreciates, while its luminous white bark will perfectly complement the others. To complete your scene, install in the foreground a Cornus 'Baton Rouge' with branches of a brilliant coral red.