Paperbark Maple

These orange and grey tones belong to the bark of the Acer griseum, or Paperbark Maple, and this specimen is at the Royal Botanic Gardens of Edinburgh. A native of China, it has become a popular ornamental tree in temperate climates including the UK.

It was introduced to Britain by the noted plant hunter Ernest Henry Wilson (1876-1930) from his first trip to China in 1899-1902. Some 60 varieties and species of plants bear Wilson's name wilsonii, and many of his choice rhododendrons and trees can be seen at the RBGE's Dawyck Arboretum near Peebles.