Esveld Aceretum is (in the number of
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
and
cultivar
A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture, ...
s under cultivation at the site) the largest collection of
maple
''Acer'' () is a genus of trees and shrubs commonly known as maples. The genus is placed in the family Sapindaceae.Stevens, P. F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 9, June 2008 nd more or less continuously updated since http ...
s in the world.
[''Maples for Gardens: A Color Encyclopedia'' by C.J. van Gelderen & D.M. van Gelderen, 1999] The aceretum is part of PlantenTuin Esveld, a family-owned commercial nursery in
Boskoop, Netherlands, that was founded in 1865.
[Esveld Website]
/ref>
The term "aceretum" describes an arboretum
An arboretum (plural: arboreta) in a general sense is a botanical collection composed exclusively of trees of a variety of species. Originally mostly created as a section in a larger garden or park for specimens of mostly non-local species, man ...
devoted to maple tree
In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...
s and shrub
A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...
s, i.e. plants belonging to the genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
''Acer''. The aceretum was founded in the early 1970s, anchored by a giant specimen of '' Acer shirasawanum'' that was already about one century old.
The aceretum now holds over 600 varieties of maples and is the holder of the Dutch Plant Collections of ''Acer.'' PlantenTuin Esveld is the holder of the national collections of several other Genus of plants as well.
References
External links
Official website
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
Maple
1970s establishments in the Netherlands
Horticultural companies
{{arboretum-stub