Fullmoon maple is a slow growing deciduous tree in the maple family (Sapindaceae) native to mountainous areas of Japan, Manchuria, and Korea. It has rounded leaves which look much like a full moon, hence the common name. This upright to spreading, small tree or large shrub has smooth, gray bark, often appearing in a multitrunked form and grows up to 15-30’ tall. The leaves turn yellow and red in fall. Small purplish-red flowers in pendulous corymbs appear in early spring (April) before the leaves. Plants prefer cool summer conditions with lightly dappled shade though they will tolerate full sun Moist well drained soil is preferred but it is adaptable to many soil types. Site in locations protected from strong winds. Stake young trees for more erect growth. Plants perform poorly south of USDA Zone 7. Leaves may scorch in full sun in hot southern summers. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems : No serious problems. See potential insect and disease problem fact sheets to the left. The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common maple diseases and insect pests. VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee. More information on Acer .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
NC region
Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in. | Width: 15 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Multi-trunked; Rounded; Spreading
Texture
Fine
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow; Green; Orange; Red/Burgundy
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Ovate; Palmasect
Leaf margin
Lobed
Leaf size
3-6 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Rounded, palmate (looks fern-line) opposite, 3-6" medium green leaves with 7 to 11 acuminate, toothed and cut, ovate to lance-shaped lobes.
Fall color
Gold/Yellow; Red/Burgundy
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Pink; Purple/Lavender; Red/Burgundy; White
Flower form
Corymb
Flower detail
Small purplish-red flowers in pendulous corymbs appear in early spring (April) before the leaves. White and maroon flowers on long stalks in April; colors maroon red in fall.
Flowers are followed by winged 1" samaras which ripen in late summer to early fall.
Bark color
Dark Gray; Light Gray
Bark detail
The bark is smooth on young trees, becoming rough and scaly on older trees.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Gray/Silver
Stem detail
Multi-branching and stiff twigs. First year, slender, glabrous, reddish green. Second year, marked color change becoming brown with a sharp demarcation between current and last season's growth.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Mountainous areas of Japan, Manchuria, and Korea
Wildlife value
Members of the genus Acer support Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south. Adult Imperial Moths do not feed.