mountain maple

noun

1. a shrub, Acer spicatum, of eastern North America, having small, greenish-yellow flowers and winged fruit, the foliage turning to orange and scarlet in autumn.

Word History and Origins

Origin of mountain maple¹

An Americanism dating back to 1775–85

Example Sentences

On the broader shelves the mountain maple, the silver birch, and the hobble-bush secure a precarious foothold.

From Project Gutenberg

Close by, from the forked branches of a crimson-fruited mountain maple, hung the dainty, deserted nest of a vireo.

From Project Gutenberg

The underbrush is scanty; mountain maple is rather common, and there are a few young black ashes.

From Project Gutenberg

A scanty undergrowth of mountain maple and numerous sugar maple seedlings is present.

From Project Gutenberg

The mountain maple—the nurserymen call it Acer spicatum—is another native of rather dwarf growth.

From Project Gutenberg