Acer griseum 'Chinese Paperbark Maple'
The beautiful flaking bark is a distinct feature when young, but mature trees have a more glossy, strongly cinnamon coloured bark.
Whilst this isn’t a Champion Tree, this is a beautiful example of the Chinese Paperbark Maple, Acer griseum. Although these are becoming popular for winter garden displays in the UK, in it's native China, this endemic, decorative tree is becoming endangered due to habitat loss and extensive foresting. The beautiful flaking bark is a distinct feature when young, but mature trees have a more glossy, strongly cinnamon coloured bark.
What makes a tree, a ‘Champion Tree’?
I would imagine that most people will think that a champion tree must be a huge colossus of a tree, bigger than all the rest, but this isn’t necessarily the case. A champion is in essence the biggest example of that species of tree in the country and this can be height or girth or both. Even a dwarf tree can be a champion if its height exceeds all others in the UK of that variety. TROBI, Tree Register of the British Isles, is the organisation responsible for declaring trees, champions. Many hundreds of trees from all over the country are registered each year. TROBI will check and confirm that these are or are not, champions. At present the Hillier Gardens has one of the largest collections of champion trees in the country.
