Acer Davidii Viper Snake Bark Maple

Acer Davidii Viper is a deciduous tree with an upright habit. It has striking snake-like green and white striped bark. It suits small gardens and creates lots of winter interest.

Acer Davidii is native to China where it naturally occurs in the southern and western regions. It grows equally well in the UK where it’s also known as Snake Bark Maple. This Viper variety is especially striking with vertically striped green and white viper-like striations.
This is a deciduous tree, so fresh new foliage appears in spring. Ovate leaves emerge green with a tint of bronze before maturing to rich dark green in summer. In autumn they turn vivid shades of bright orange and yellow. In late spring small yellow flowers appear which, if pollinated, mature into winged seeds at summer’s end.

This is an excellent choice of winter tree in small to medium-sized gardens. 

Height And Spread Acer Davidii Viper
Acer Davidii Viper is slow-growing and will reach a maximum height of 7 metres by 3 metres in 20 years.

How Hardy is Acer Davidii Viper
This acer is extremely hardy coping with freezing temperatures if the soil is well-drained. Pests are rarely a problem.

How To Use Acer Davidii Viper
This is a decorative eye-catching tree that brings year-round colour to the garden. It’s especially attractive in the winter months when its viper-like bark is exposed. Be sure to plant it where you can easily admire the stripes such as near a path or in view of a window.

This is a small, slow-growing tree that suits the back of a border as part of a display or in small to medium-sized urban gardens as a feature tree.

Less vigorous than winter coloured dogwood, and smaller than ornamental white-barked birch trees, Acer Viper is a good choice for front gardens and urban spaces.

How To Care For Acer Davidii Viper
Snakebark Maple Viper will grow in the majority of moisture-retentive well-drained soils. It prefers a sunny to a partially sunny spot with some shelter from cold, drying winds. Dig a hole three times as wide as the roots and add plenty of organic matter. Water well until established and apply a thick layer of mulch or fertiliser to the roots in spring. No routine pruning is required but you can remove dead, crossed, or damaged branches in the dormant winter season.