Acer glabrum Torr.

A tree to 9 m high. The trunk is about 25 cm across. The trunk is short and the limbs are few and point upwards. The bark is smooth and dark reddish-brown. Leaves are 7-14 cm long and about the same width. They are thin and have 3-5 lobes. They have coarse double teeth. The leaf notches are usually shallow between the lobes. The upper surface is dark green and it is greyish green underneath. Male and female trees must be grown if seed is required. The flowers are 5 mm across and yellowish-green. They form loose drooping clusters. They grow at the ends of new shoots and along the sides of small branches. The fruit have wings. These are 18-22 mm long and are almost parallel. The are often red coloured. The seed case is strongly wrinkled.

It is a temperate plant. It occurs in mountains from 1500-2000 m altitude in the Rocky Mountains in the USA. They need a moist well drained soil. They prefer a sunny position but can tolerate some shade. They can grow in a range of soils and soil pH's. They can tolerate cold to-25°C. It needs cold conditions to thrive. They often grow along stream banks. It suits hardiness zones 4-7.

The young shoot are cooked and eaten. The dried crushed leaves have been used as a spice. The seed are boiled and eaten after the wings have been removed. The inner bark is dried and ground into flour then used in soups to thicken them.

Plants are easily grown from seed. Seed should be pre-soaked for 24 hours then kept cold at 0-8°C for 2-4 months to assist them to grown. Seed can be sown fresh if green seeds are used. Seed should be grown in a nursery then transplanted. Cuttings or layering can be used.