Sharpen your #2 pencils and add Paper Bark Maple to your must-see list of specimen trees!  This slow-growing variety was originally cultivated in China, but has since found its way to our area, growing well in zones 5-7.  This maple does well in both full sun and partial shade, and reaches a moderate height of 15′-30,’ with similar sized canopy.  Leaves grow in clusters of three, ranging  from 3-8” long, and turn from orange to bright red in late fall, holding onto its color far longer than most maples, which can be a real treat in the grey of winter!  Although small, delicate yellow-green blooms appear in spring, the real boasting point of the Paper Bark Maple (as the name suggests) is its distinctive, chocolaty copper bark that peels away in ribbons and curls.  This tree is truly an ornament for all seasons!