Acer miyabei ‘Morton’ State Street -State Street® Maple

Botanical Name: Acer miyabei ‘Morton’ STATE STREET

Alternate Name: Miyabe Maple

The State Street® or Miyabe Maple is named after the botanist Kingo Miyabe who discovered the parent tree of this species. He found it growing on the Japanese island of Hokkaide. This maple is native to a few northern regions of Japan, where it is endangered. It is mostly found growing near streams.

Acer miyabei ‘State Street’ was first grown in the US in the well-known Morton Arboretum in Illinois in 1988, and the cultivar was selected from this tree. The original specimen was planted in 1929 and has grown to a size of 60 feet.

In general, the State Street® Maple grows up to 40-45 feet in height and 30-35 feet in width. It has a beautiful rounded or oval shape and attractive uniform branching which forms a good scaffold structure. Its canopy is denser than most other maple species.

This tree develops yellowish-green small flowers in clusters in the spring which don’t contribute to its ornamental impact. At the same time, the lustrous 5-lobed new leaves unfurl medium to dark green. These develop a beautiful, rich, golden yellow in autumn.

The bark of the State Street® is thick and cork-like, and it has vertical furrows similar to the Hedge Maple. It helps the tree resist sunscald.

The State Street® Maple is a great choice for difficult conditions. It is highly adaptable and tolerates urban pollution extremely well, not to mention heat and cold and alkaline or acid soil conditions.