Vine Maple
Scientific name: Acer circinatum
Overview
Vine Maple is a small North American hardwood native to the Pacific Northwest, where it grows from southwestern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon into northern California. A member of the Sapindaceae family, it is one of the most distinctive native maples, often growing as a sprawling multi-stemmed tree with gracefully arching branches that root where they touch the ground, giving rise to its common name.
Although Vine Maple rarely reaches commercial timber size, its wood shares many of the desirable characteristics found throughout the maple genus, including fine texture, close grain, and excellent workability. The tree is highly valued for ornamental landscaping, wildlife habitat, and specialty woodworking, while its brilliant yellow, orange, and crimson autumn foliage makes it one of the Pacific Northwest’s most admired native trees.
Quick Facts
- Common Name: Vine Maple
- Scientific Name: Acer circinatum
- Region: North American Hardwoods
- Tree Size: 15–30 ft (4.5–9 m) tall, 6–18 in (15–45 cm) trunk diameter
- Average Dried Weight: Approximately 37 lbs/ft³ (595 kg/m³)
- Janka Hardness: Approximately 950 lbf
- Grain: Straight
- Texture: Fine and uniform
Identification Characteristics
Vine Maple produces pale cream to light reddish-brown heartwood with nearly white sapwood that is only slightly differentiated. The grain is generally straight, and the texture is fine and uniform with a smooth surface and low natural luster. Because the tree often develops multiple stems and curved trunks, clear lumber is relatively uncommon. Its graceful arching branches and nearly circular leaves make it one of the easiest North American maples to recognize.
Key identification traits include:
- Creamy white to light reddish-brown heartwood
- Nearly white sapwood
- Straight grain
- Fine, uniform texture
- Low natural luster
- Gracefully arching, multi-stemmed growth habit
- Brilliant yellow, orange, and red fall color
Working Properties
Vine Maple is easy to machine with both hand and power tools. Its fine texture allows it to cut cleanly and produce smooth finished surfaces. The wood turns, carves, glues, and finishes well, making it suitable for detailed woodworking and artistic projects.
- Machines easily
- Excellent carving characteristics
- Turns well
- Sands to a smooth finish
- Glues readily
- Accepts stains and clear finishes well
- Good dimensional stability
Safety Note
Wood dust may cause mild skin, eye, or respiratory irritation in sensitive individuals. Standard woodworking safety practices, including dust collection and respiratory protection, are recommended during machining and sanding.
Common Uses
Although commercial lumber production is limited, Vine Maple is used for numerous specialty woodworking applications, including:
- Wood carvings
- Turned objects
- Decorative boxes
- Walking sticks
- Small furniture
- Craft projects
- Musical instrument components
- Wooden utensils
- Educational wood collections
- Ornamental landscaping
Sustainability & Notes
Vine Maple is widespread throughout the moist forests of the Pacific Northwest, where it serves as an important understory tree beneath Douglas-fir, western hemlock, and other conifers. It provides food and shelter for birds, deer, elk, and numerous small mammals while helping stabilize soils on forested slopes.
Because the species rarely develops large trunks, it is seldom harvested commercially and is more commonly appreciated for its ecological value and ornamental beauty than for lumber production.
Comparative Notes & Related Species
Rocky Mountain Maple – Another western North American maple adapted to mountain environments but typically found farther inland.
Mountain Maple – A small understory maple of eastern and northern North America with similar growth habits and limited commercial timber value.
Striped Maple – An eastern understory maple valued more for its ecological importance and distinctive bark than for lumber production.
Related Guides
Maple Species Guide – Compare maple species from around the world and learn how they differ in habitat, appearance, and woodworking characteristics.
Best Woods for Furniture Making – Discover why maple remains one of the most widely used hardwoods for quality furniture and cabinetry.
How to Identify Wood by End Grain Patterns – Learn how end grain anatomy can help distinguish maple from other fine-textured hardwoods.
Compare Wood Properties
See how this species ranks in density and hardness using our Wood Density & Janka Hardness Chart. You can also explore Hardest Woods, Softest Woods, and Most Dense Woods for quick comparisons.
Collector Notes
Vine Maple is an outstanding collector species because it represents one of the most distinctive native maples of western North America. Its unique vine-like growth habit, relatively small size, and limited commercial lumber availability make authenticated wood samples much less common than those of larger maple species. A documented specimen complements collections featuring Rocky Mountain Maple, Mountain Maple, Striped Maple, Black Maple, and other members of the Acer genus while showcasing the remarkable diversity found within North America’s native maples.
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Wood Sample Collection
This species is part of an ongoing effort to document and preserve wood samples from around the world.
Learn more about contributing to the collection:
Resources
Authoritative botanical and forestry references used in compiling information about this species include:
• USDA Forest Service – Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material
https://www.fpl.fs.usda.gov/products/publications/
• The Wood Database – Global reference for wood identification, physical properties, and woodworking characteristics
https://www.wood-database.com/
• Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – Plants of the World Online – Botanical taxonomy and species distribution database
https://powo.science.kew.org/
• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN Red List) – Global conservation status assessments
https://www.iucnredlist.org/
• Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) – International trade regulations for protected plant species
https://cites.org/
Additional forestry publications, academic research papers, and regional timber studies may also be referenced where available.
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Availability & Where to Buy
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As this archive grows, recommended suppliers and specialty wood retailers will be listed here to help woodworkers locate responsibly sourced material.
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