Acer tataricum
Tatarian maple

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Tatarian maple (Acer tataricum) is a small, slow-growing tree reaching 5–7 m in height, often with multiple or forked trunks. It produces scented white flowers pollinated by insects, followed by paired winged nutlets (samaras). Predominantly found in lowlands or between 300 and 1 700 m above sea level, it is native to warm and dry climates from east-central Europe to Japan, but is cultivated across Europe and Asia, although trees are susceptible to frost (Polijak et al., 2024). 

It is valued as an ornamental tree for its attractive form, fragrant flowers, and adaptability to a range of soils and climates within frost-free limits. It is used in landscaping in both its native range and where it has since been introduced. 

in situ genetic conservation unit+
ex situ genetic conservation unit+
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Acknowledgements

This distribution map has been developed by the European Commission Joint Research Centre (partly based on the EUFORGEN map) and released under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY 4.0)


Caudullo, Giovanni; Welk, Erik; San-Miguel-Ayanz, Jesús (2017). Chorological maps and data for the main European woody species. figshare. Collection. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.2918528

 

The following experts have contributed to the development of the EUFORGEN distribution maps:

Fazia Krouchi (Algeria), Hasmik Ghalachyan (Armenia), Thomas Geburek (Austria), Berthold Heinze (Austria), Rudi Litschauer (Austria), Rudolf Litschauer (Austria), Michael Mengl (Austria), Ferdinand Müller (Austria), Franz Starlinger (Austria), Valida Ali-zade (Azerbaijan), Vahid Djalal Hajiyev (Azerbaijan), Karen Cox (Belgium), Bart De Cuyper (Belgium), Olivier Desteucq (Belgium), Patrick Mertens (Belgium), Jos Van Slycken (Belgium), An Vanden Broeck (Belgium), Kristine Vander Mijnsbrugge (Belgium), Dalibor Ballian (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Alexander H. Alexandrov (Bulgaria), Alexander Delkov (Bulgaria), Ivanova Denitsa Pandeva (Bulgaria), Peter Zhelev Stoyanov (Bulgaria), Joso Gracan (Croatia), Marilena Idzojtic (Croatia), Mladen Ivankovic (Croatia), Željka Ivanović (Croatia), Davorin Kajba (Croatia), Hrvoje Marjanovic (Croatia), Sanja Peric (Croatia), Andreas Christou (Cyprus), Xenophon Hadjikyriacou (Cyprus), Václav Buriánek (Czech Republic), Jan Chládek (Czech Republic), Josef Frýdl (Czech Republic), Petr Novotný (Czech Republic), Martin Slovacek (Czech Republic), Zdenek Špišek (Czech Republic), Karel Vancura (Czech Republic), Ulrik Bräuner (Denmark), Bjerne Ditlevsen (Denmark), Jon Kehlet Hansen (Denmark), Jan Svejgaard Jensen (Denmark), Kalev Jðgiste (Estonia), Tiit Maaten (Estonia), Raul Pihu (Estonia), Ülo Tamm (Estonia), Arvo Tullus (Estonia), Aivo Vares (Estonia), Teijo Nikkanen (Finland), Sanna Paanukoski (Finland), Mari Rusanen (Finland), Pekka Vakkari (Finland), Leena Yrjänä (Finland), Daniel Cambon (France), Eric Collin (France), Alexis Ducousso (France), Bruno Fady (France), François Lefèvre (France), Brigitte Musch (France), Sylvie Oddou-Muratorio (France), Luc E. Pâques (France), Julien Saudubray (France), Marc Villar (France), Vlatko Andonovski (FYR Macedonia), Dragi Pop-Stojanov (FYR Macedonia), Merab Machavariani (Georgia), Irina Tvauri (Georgia), Alexander Urushadze (Georgia), Bernd Degen (Germany), Jochen Kleinschmit (Germany), Armin König (Germany), Armin König (Germany), Volker Schneck (Germany), Richard Stephan (Germany), H. H. Kausch-Blecken Von Schmeling (Germany), Georg von Wühlisch (Germany), Iris Wagner (Germany), Heino Wolf (Germany), Paraskevi Alizoti (Greece), Filippos Aravanopoulos (Greece), Andreas Drouzas (Greece), Despina Paitaridou (Greece), Aristotelis C. Papageorgiou (Greece), Kostas Thanos (Greece), Sándor Bordács (Hungary), Csaba Mátyás (Hungary), László Nagy (Hungary), Thröstur Eysteinsson (Iceland), Adalsteinn Sigurgeirsson (Iceland), Halldór Sverrisson (Iceland), John Fennessy (Ireland), Ellen O'Connor (Ireland), Fulvio Ducci (Italy), Silvia Fineschi (Italy), Bartolomeo Schirone (Italy), Marco Cosimo Simeone (Italy), Giovanni Giuseppe Vendramin (Italy), Lorenzo Vietto (Italy), Janis Birgelis (Latvia), Virgilijus Baliuckas (Lithuania), Kestutis Cesnavicius (Lithuania), Darius Danusevicius (Lithuania), Valmantas Kundrotas (Lithuania), Alfas Pliûra (Lithuania), Darius Raudonius (Lithuania), Robert du Fays (Luxembourg), Myriam Heuertz (Luxembourg), Claude Parini (Luxembourg), Fred Trossen (Luxembourg), Frank Wolter (Luxembourg), Joseph Buhagiar (Malta), Eman Calleja (Malta), Ion Palancean (Moldova), Dragos Postolache (Moldova), Gheorghe Postolache (Moldova), Hassan Sbay (Morocco), Tor Myking (Norway), Tore Skrøppa (Norway), Anna Gugala (Poland), Jan Kowalczyk (Poland), Czeslaw Koziol (Poland), Jan Matras (Poland), Zbigniew Sobierajski (Poland), Maria Helena Almeida (Portugal), Filipe Costa e Silva (Portugal), Luís Reis (Portugal), Maria Carolina Varela (Portugal), Ioan Blada (Romania), Alexandru-Lucian Curtu (Romania), Lucian Dinca (Romania), Georgeta Mihai (Romania), Mihai Olaru (Romania), Gheorghe Parnuta (Romania), Natalia Demidova (Russian Federation), Mikhail V. Pridnya (Russian Federation), Andrey Prokazin (Russian Federation), Srdjan Bojovic (Serbia) , Vasilije Isajev (Serbia), Saša Orlovic (Serbia), Rudolf Bruchánik (Slovakia), Roman Longauer (Slovakia), Ladislav Paule (Slovakia), Gregor Bozič (Slovenia), Robert Brus (Slovenia), Katarina Celič (Slovenia), Hojka Kraigher (Slovenia), Andrej Verlič (Slovenia), Marjana Westergren (Slovenia), Ricardo Alía (Spain), Josefa Fernández-López (Spain), Luis Gil Sanchez (Spain), Pablo Gonzalez Goicoechea (Spain), Santiago C. González-Martínez (Spain), Sonia Martin Albertos (Spain), Eduardo Notivol Paino (Spain), María Arantxa Prada (Spain), Alvaro Soto de Viana (Spain), Lennart Ackzell (Sweden), Jonas Bergquist (Sweden), Sanna Black-Samuelsson (Sweden), Jonas Cedergren (Sweden), Gösta Eriksson (Sweden), Markus Bolliger (Switzerland), Felix Gugerli (Switzerland), Rolf Holderegger (Switzerland), Peter Rotach (Switzerland), Marcus Ulber (Switzerland), Sven M.G. de Vries (The Netherlands), Khouja Mohamed Larbi (Tunisia), Murat Alan (Turkey), Gaye Kandemir (Turkey), Gursel Karagöz (Turkey), Zeki Kaya (Turkey), Hasan Özer (Turkey), Hacer Semerci (Turkey), Ferit Toplu (Turkey), Mykola M. Vedmid (Ukraine), Roman T. Volosyanchuk (Ukraine), Stuart A'Hara (United Kingdom), Joan Cottrell (United Kingdom), Colin Edwards (United Kingdom), Michael Frankis (United Kingdom), Jason Hubert (United Kingdom), Karen Russell (United Kingdom), C.J.A. Samuel (United Kingdom).
 

Genetic diversity and variation  

While no genetic studies have been done on the species, analyses indicate high morphological variation both within and between populations, especially at range margins, with isolation-by-distance structuring of leaf traits (Polijak et al., 2024). Intra-population morphological variability in leaf shape and size is greater than inter-population morphological variability, consistent with predictions from population genetics, but no direct studies on the species genetics have confirmed this beyond morphological comparisons (Polijak et al., 2024). Morphological variation indicates high phenotypic plasticity (Ferus, 2023). However, high morphological variability may indicate high genetic variability in Tatarian maple, but it is not a guaranteed indicator. 

Genetic distribution and clustering  

Differentiation between populations is expected to be low, as is the case for other maple species such as field maple (Acer campestre) (Polijak et al., 2024). However, limited gene flow and other selective pressures may increase genetic differentiation in marginal populations of Tatarian maple (Polijak et al., 2024). 

Gene flow 

As a wind-pollinated species, high long-distance gene flow usually occurs, creating a homogenizing effect on genetic and morphological variability (Polijak et al., 2024). This makes diversity significantly higher within than between populations (Polijak et al., 2024). In marginal populations, gene flow may be limited, potentially increasing genetic differentiation (Polijak et al., 2024). 


The bibliographic review was conducted by James Chaplin of the EUFORGEN Secretariat in September 2025.

N/A 

 

The bibliographic review was conducted by James Chaplin of the EUFORGEN Secretariat in September 2025.

Threats 

Marginal populations may face increased genetic differentiation due to limited gene flow and selective pressures, while habitat loss and environmental change could further reduce genetic resilience. 

Management 

Tatarian maple is a poorly researched species, with no existing molecular genetic studies quantifying genetic diversity, gene flow, or structure; only a few morphological studies are available (Polijak et al., 2024). Conservation planning therefore relies on limited morphological data, with emphasis on maintaining habitat quality and protecting marginal populations that may hold unique adaptive traits. 

 

The bibliographic review was conducted by James Chaplin of the EUFORGEN Secretariat in September 2025.

Further reading

N/A 

References 

Ferus, P. 2023. Mechanisms involved in alien maples (Acer sp.) invasion process in the Central Europe. Testing hypotheses associated with species fitness. Urban Ecosystems, 26(5): 1455–1467. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-023-01390-4 

Poljak, I., Vidaković, A., Benić, L., Tumpa, K., Idžojtić, M., and Šatović, Z. 2024. Patterns of leaf and fruit morphological variation in marginal populations of Acer tataricum L. subsp. tataricumPlants, 13(2): 320. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13020320 

If you notice any error in the contents of this species page, please contact euforgen@efi.int