Japanese Maple is a small tree native to Japan and South Korea that is very common in cultivation, but rarely escapes to suburban woodlands. There are a small number of escaped saplings in the forest understory next to the Phytotron building on the Duke University campus.

Durham, NC 4/14/2011.

The deciduous, alternate leaves are coarsely toothed, with red petioles.

Durham, NC 4/14/2011.

Each leaf has seven deep palmate lobes.

Durham, NC 4/14/2011.

Bark of young stems is green.

Durham, NC 4/14/2011.