Acer 'Ample Surprise' (PBR)
The ?Ample Surprise? has red shoots and keeps its beautiful appearance until late in the autumn. Growth is fairly compact and he can be pruned annually if desired. As a solitaire in the garden, as a spherical shape on stem and even as a hedge. In winter the plant shows its dark, almost black, branches. The ?Ample Surprise? Maple loves any soil type and can be planted in every place.
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About this plant
What makes this plant special
'Ample Surprise' is a compact, disease-resistant hybrid maple of about 3.5 m tall and 2 m wide after ten years. Bronze-red young shoots turn glossy green in summer and red-orange in autumn, and in winter the almost black bark and branches stand out. It suits a small garden as a solitary tree, a standard with a rounded crown or a hedge.
Maple Acer
Maples (Acer) form a large genus of trees and shrubs, nearly all from the northern hemisphere and many from China. They range from small multi-stemmed trees to large shade trees. Their opposite, usually lobed leaves, colourful young growth, winged fruits and above all their fiery autumn colours make them garden classics.
Location and soil
Maples grow best in sun or partial shade, in deep, fertile soil that stays moist but drains well. Many species accept lime, but the snakebark maples prefer lime-free, humus-rich soil. Most are very hardy and need no winter protection.
Pruning and care
Plant preferably in autumn and keep the soil moist during the first two summers; a mulch layer helps. Maples need little pruning: remove dead or crossing branches from October to December, and never later in winter or in early spring, when the sap rises and cuts bleed. They are rarely troubled by pests or diseases.
Use in the garden
Depending on the species, maples serve as a specimen tree on a lawn, a shade tree near the house, a street or avenue tree, in a free-growing or clipped hedge, or in a mixed shrub border. The snakebark maples deserve a prominent spot where their bark can be enjoyed in winter.
Characteristics
Botanical
| Family | Sapindaceae |
| Genus | Acer |
| Cultivar | 'Ample Surprise' |
Foliage
| Evergreen | no |
| Colour (foliage) | red |
| Autumn colour | red |
Growth habit
| Height | 150 cm |
Location
| Winter hardiness | -30 °C |
| Location | sun, half shade |
| Soil moisture | normal |
Use
| Type (use) | shrub |
Care
| Pruning | october to december |