Dipteronia sinensis AF 2015

One look at the stalky clumping habit and jagged pinnate leaves of this species and you’d say it was a dead ringer for a Rhus or Aralia. One look at the wafer-like fruits and you’d say dead ringer for an Elm or if you were a real botanical nut Ptelea. Yet like the mighty platypus is neither duck nor otter this is something altogether, a rare member of the maple family improbably enough! In addition to its alluring oddity the winged red fruits held in large clusters of pairs, red blushed petioles, and extremely quick growth make it a not-half-bad ornamental species as well. Virtually unknown in the US but doing well in the UK so at least Zone 8 hardy if not more, large shrub to small tree.