vine maple

American  

noun

1. a maple, Acer circinatum, of the western coast of North America, often having vinelike or prostrate stems that form dense thickets.

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Etymology

Origin of vine maple

An Americanism dating back to 1870–75

Example Sentences

The all-terrain vehicle puttered down a winding dirt road shaded by mature Douglas fir and cedar, with sword ferns and vine maple brushing the sides of the cart along the way.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 30, 2023

Enter the sale and a patch of vine maple, alder and devils club reaching out above a carpet of sword ferns, fragrant decomposing leaves, moss and spongy soil.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 23, 2023

Spot the last glimmers of autumn color on hemlock, Pacific madronas, alders, bigleaf maple and vine maple trees.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 26, 2022

Steffen also praises Acer circinatum ‘Burgundy Jewel’, a purple-leaf selection of our native vine maple.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 6, 2022

It was nearly dusk and a March stillness had seized everything—the trees, the rotting deadwood, the leafless vine maple, the stones littering the ground.

From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson