State Street® Maple

STATE STREET® is a Morton Arboretum selection of Miyabe maple (*Acer miyabei* ‘Morton’), introduced through the Chicagoland Grows® program. Its dense, upright-oval canopy, dark green summer leaves, and pale golden fall color make it a dependable large shade tree where there is room for a broad crown. ## Form and seasonal interest The cultivar reaches about 40–45 feet tall and 30–35 feet wide, according to the cultivar-specific Morton Arboretum profile. A broader Arboretum description gives a 35–50 foot height range, so allow for a large mature tree rather than treating one figure as exact. The five-lobed leaves are thick and medium to dark green; they persist into fall, then turn pale gold. Small, inconspicuous flowers appear in spring, followed by paired winged seeds. Mature bark develops corky vertical ridges. ## Placement and growing conditions Use STATE STREET® as a shade tree in a large residential yard, park, wide median, or suitable street-tree site. It grows in full sun or partial shade and is listed for USDA zones 4–7. The Morton Arboretum reports strong tolerance of heat, drought, and alkaline soil, and its cultivar profile also lists salt spray and occasional wet-site tolerance. That salt-spray note does not establish tolerance of saline soil. Avoid compacted planting sites; newly planted trees still need regular water while roots establish, even though established trees tolerate dry periods. ## Cultivar, brand, and patent information ‘Morton’ is the cultivar name; STATE STREET® is its marketed name. The original selection came from The Morton Arboretum’s collections. Chicagoland Grows® introduced it, and the program says its introductions are marketed and licensed through Plants Nouveau. The sources reviewed do not list a plant-patent number for ‘Morton’; the [USPTO Patent Public Search](https://www.uspto.gov/patents/search/patent-public-search) is the official place to check U.S. patent records. ## Sources - [The Morton Arboretum: STATE STREET™ Miyabe’s maple](https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants/state-street-miyabes-maple/) - [The Morton Arboretum: Miyabe’s maple and cultivar notes](https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants/miyabes-maple/) - [The Morton Arboretum: Chicagoland Grows® program](https://mortonarb.org/science/collections-research/chicagoland-grows/) - [University of Illinois Extension: Miyabe maple](https://web.extension.illinois.edu/hortanswers/PlantDetail.cfm?PlantID=167&PlantTypeID=7) - [Trees and Shrubs Online: Acer miyabei](https://www.treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/acer/acer-miyabei/) - [Schneider Nursery: State Street™ maple](https://schneidernursery.com/products/acer-miyabei-morton-state-street%E2%84%A2-maple) - [Plants Nouveau: plant-patent listings](https://www.plantsnouveau.com/industry/plant-patents) ## Maintenance A regional nursery rates STATE STREET® as low maintenance. Water the tree regularly during establishment, then water deeply during prolonged drought if the soil becomes dry. Keep mulch over the root zone but away from the trunk, and avoid compacted soil. Prune only as needed to develop or maintain sound structure; avoid spring pruning because maples can bleed sap. Arrange major pruning while the tree is young and accessible, or consult a certified arborist for mature canopy work.