the Maples of Asia:

Acer buergerianum, Maple with dragon bark

Origin: the East of China, Japan, introduced into Europe in 1890.
Habitat: altitude.
Hardiness: zone 6 (it supports cold until -23 °C or -9 °F).
Size: 10-12 m in Europe, 20 m in Asia.
Spreading Form, often shrub.
Bark : gray to light beige sometimes tinged with orange.
Leaves: simple, smooth margin (or slightly toothed), lobed with three very visible veins in the centre of every lobe. They get nice colours orange to bright red in autumn. The petiole is long (3-7 cm), and so long as the blade. Their form recalls that of the trident, hence the English name "maple Trident".
Small, yellow-green flowers, grouped in corymbs, appearing in April-May, at the same time as leaves or a bit afterwards.
Fruits: 1,5-2,5 cm samaras, wings with acute angle, which pass from the green to the red then to the reddish-brown to maturity.

 Acer acuminatum
 Acer buergerianum
 Acer capillipes
 Acer cappadocicum
 Acer carpinifolium
 Acer davidii
 Acer ginnala
 Acer griseum
 Acer grosseri hersii
 Acer japonicum
 Acer palmatum
 Acer pycnanthum
 Acer rufinerve
 Acer shirasawanum

Maple with charming leaves, Acer carpinifolium

Origin: Japan.
Size: 10 m tall.
Habitat: humid mountain woods.
Bark grey, and smooth, opening of lenticels.
Small flowers, in pendulous clusters, in May, with leaves.
Leaves resembling those of Hornbeam (simple, toothed, or even doubly toothed, provided with many veins). They have the habitual arrangement of maples: opposite, what differentiates them of charming leaves. They are somewhat longer (15 cm). They turn to yellow-reddish-brown at autumn.

Origin: from Black Sea to China.
It attains 20 m tall.
Its branches are spread and twisted. It suckers copiously.
Its leaves have a long petiole which contains the latex and five pointed lobes, smooth margin. They turn to pale yellow at autumn, before turning to rust color.

Etymology: named in honor of Joseph Hers who travelled in China in 1920.
Origin: China, Province of Hu-Nan.
Smooth bark slightly cracked, green streaked with white. It becomes covered with cork on elderly plants.
Leaves barely lobbed (like A. davidii), acuminate, heart-shaped base.

David Maple, A. davidii

Etymology: named in honor of the explorer father David, sent to the emperor..
Origin: China.
Hardiness: zone 6 (it supports cold until -23 °C or -9 °F).
Height: 15 m tall.
Smooth bark slightly cracked, green streaked with white.
Barely lobbed leaves, acuminate, margin with little teeth, bases a few or not cordate (# A. grosserii), of 15 cm turning to the reddish-brown-orange in autumn. It can be confused with those of some blackberries, but they are opposed, and finer.
Small, green flowers, in pendulous clusters of 9 cm long, in May, with leaves.
Fruits: almost lined up, green wings, turning to the red with maturity.

Acer rufinerve

Origin: Japan.
Habitat: altitude.
hardiness: zone 6 (it supports cold until -23 °C or -9 °F).
Size: 10 m tall.
Form broad columnar.
Bark : particular, dark green, white rhombs breakthrough that extend as longitudinal stripes, which widen into cracks with age.
Leaves composed of three lobes slightly marked, dark green, fading in bright yellow, then getting all ranges of orange from the carmine red in autumn. Hair on ribs in underside. Its leaf resembles that of A. capillipes (clearer green) and that of the mottled maple (more pointed lobes).
Yellow-green small flowers, in upright clusters in April-May.
Small winged fruits which pass from the green to the carmine red to maturity.

Acer shirasawanum

Origin: Japan.
Habitat: altitude.
Size: 20 m tall.
Widely spread Form.
Smooth, dark grey bark.
Leaves 15 cm long and 10 cm broad, composed of about 11 lobes, pointed, toothed. Red petiole along 7 cm. The petiole of A can be merged with the leaf to lace up japonicum, but. japonicum is short.
Yellow-green small flowers, in upright clusters, in April-May.
Small winged fruits which pass from the green to the carmine red to maturity.

Other Asiatic maples (China, Japan) are small trees (10 m or even 15 m) growing in acid soils:

Acer capillipes
Etymology: "capillipes" means "petioles filiform".
Origin: Japan; discovered in 1867 by Maximovicz, introduced into Europe in 1892.
Habitat: It appreciates wetlands, drained, light soils.
Form broad columnar.
Height: 15 m tall.
Characteristic bark, striped green and white, with red tasks.
Leaves in three lobes pointed, but rather shallow. Bigger main lobe. 15 cm long, 10 cm broad. The back carries tips to the axil of ribs. They appear red, turn to clear green (less dark than at acer rufinerve) in summer and go back to orange then to the red in autumn.

Grey maple of China or Maple with birch bark, Acer griseum

Origin: China.
Habitat: shady.
hardiness: zone 6.
Size: 8-15 m tall.
Form broad columnar.
Ruddy bark with reddish-brown-brown with feature to peel in rags, which wind on themselves before falling.
Leaves composed of three elliptical leaflets, big rounded teeth. Main leaflet of 10 cm. Dark green top, light green underside. They turn to red in autumn.
Yellow-green small flowers on peduncles, in pendulous clusters in May, at the same time as leaves.
Big fruits with broad wings.

Advices of planting of the Japanese maples:

the Japanese maples (under this generic term are amalgamated most maples of Asia) are fragile:
- they do not support the drafts which dry out their fine and serrated foliage: shelter winds them.
- they fear frost when they are young. Do not hesitate to cut branches dried out.
- they are sensitive to diseases, notably verticillose, which dries branches out. Do not plant them in the site of a tree died from illness. In case of illness, deal by atomising some Bordeaux mix.
- they need a light, humid earth (but not too much) and slightly sour. The Japanese maples grow in a loamy earth if a correct draining is assured (by adding gravels).
- of mountain origin, the Japanese maples appreciate a cool and humid atmosphere. They risk drying out if the summer is too dry. Water them to supplement water lack (ideal is the rainwater and the tap water, which is chemically treated!).
- they appreciate a position half - shady: some sun but not too much.