Acer glabrum var. glabrum
Rocky mountain maple
(c) Caleb Catto, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Caleb Catto · licence
Family: Sapindaceae · Type: Shrub / Tree · Native
Acer glabrum var. glabrum (Rocky mountain maple) is a native California shrub / tree in the Sapindaceae family, recognized by thin leaves with many teeth and upright shrub habit.
Rocky mountain maple is a native shrub found in the Klamath Ranges, northern California Ranges, and northern and central Sierra Nevada Mountains in moist to somewhat dry montane rocky slopes and canyons at elevations of 1,400 to 3,000 meters. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces small greenish-yellow flowers with distinctive maple leaf characteristics. Growing with multiple stems 2 to 4 meters tall, it forms a dense, multi-branched shrub with a spreading habit. Its leaves have 3-lobed blades approximately 3 to 5.5 centimeters long, with sharp teeth along the outer edges of each lobe and thin, delicate leaf texture.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 4 sympatric species; distinguished by thin leaves with many teeth and upright shrub habit
Habitat and range
Habitat: Moist to +- dry, montane rocky slopes, canyons
Elevation: 1400-3000 m
California counties: Tulare, San Bernardino, Nevada, Alpine, Amador, Humboldt, Fresno, Lassen, Sacramento, Butte, Del Norte, El Dorado, Inyo, Kern, Mono, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Tehama, Trinity, Tuolumne, Mariposa
Outside California: to Oregon, Montana, Colorado
Bloom period
Acer glabrum var. glabrum blooms May-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Platanus: Maple fruits are paired helicopters; sycamore has hanging ball-like seed clusters and peeling bark.; vs Liquidambar: Maple fruits split into two wings; sweetgum has spiky round seed balls and star-shaped leaves with pointed lobes.; vs Quercus: Maple leaves have palmate veins radiating from base; oak leaves have pinnate veins branching from midrib.; vs Fraxinus: Maples have simple lobed leaves; ash has compound leaves with 5-9 separate leaflets arranged feather-like.; vs Morus: Maple fruits are dry winged samaras; mulberry produces fleshy blackberry-like fruits and has milky sap.
Frequently asked questions
Is Acer glabrum var. glabrum native to California?
Yes. Acer glabrum var. glabrum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Acer glabrum var. glabrum bloom?
Acer glabrum var. glabrum blooms May-Jun.
Where in California does Acer glabrum var. glabrum grow?
Acer glabrum var. glabrum occurs in Tulare, San Bernardino, Nevada, Alpine, Amador, Humboldt, Fresno, Lassen and other counties, at elevations of 1400-3000 m.
What plant family does Acer glabrum var. glabrum belong to?
Acer glabrum var. glabrum is in the Sapindaceae family, genus Acer.
What habitat does Acer glabrum var. glabrum grow in?
Acer glabrum var. glabrum grows in Moist to +- dry, montane rocky slopes, canyons.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.