Plant family
Maples & horse chestnuts — Sapindaceae
34 species across 3 genera in the Growli library
The soapberry family holds the maples — including the prized Japanese maples grown for foliage and autumn colour — along with horse chestnuts and the golden rain tree, mostly woody plants for the garden and bonsai bench.
Browse maples & horse chestnuts by genus
All maples & horse chestnuts we cover
- Acer capillipes
- Acer griseum
- Acer japonicum 'Aconitifolium'
- Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum'
- Acer palmatum 'Butterfly'
- Acer palmatum 'Dissectum'
- Acer palmatum 'Garnet'
- Acer palmatum 'Orangeola'
- Acer rubrum
- Acer rubrum 'Autumn Blaze'
- Acer rubrum 'October Glory'
- Aesculus × carnea 'Briotii'
- Aesculus flava
- Aesculus hippocastanum
- Bloodgood Japanese Maple
- Coral Bark Japanese Maple 'Sango-kaku'
- Coral Bark Maple
- Deshojo Japanese Maple
- Full Moon Maple
- Japanese Maple
- Japanese Maple 'Bloodgood'
- Japanese Maple 'Crimson Queen'
- Japanese Maple 'Dissectum'
- Japanese Maple 'Osakazuki'
- Japanese Maple 'Sango Kaku'
- Japanese Maple 'Tamukeyama'
- Koelreuteria paniculata
- Laceleaf Japanese Maple 'Crimson Queen'
- Norway Maple
- Seigen Japanese Maple
- Shohin Japanese Maple
- Sycamore Maple
- Trident Maple
- Trident Maple 'Kifu'
Maples & horse chestnuts — frequently asked questions
Are maples & horse chestnuts toxic to cats and dogs?
Most maples & horse chestnuts are pet-safe. Of the 34 maples & horse chestnuts we cover, 19 are non-toxic on the ASPCA list and 15 carry a toxic or mildly-toxic rating. Even in a mostly-safe family, confirm the individual species before trusting it around pets.
How much light do maples & horse chestnuts need?
Most maples & horse chestnuts want bright, indirect light — 22 of the 34 in our library do best there. If yours stretches toward the window or loses its variegation it needs more light; scorched or bleached leaves mean it is getting too much.
Are maples & horse chestnuts easy to care for?
Maples & horse chestnuts are moderate to grow: the one real requirement is a genuinely bright spot out of harsh midday sun. Get the light right and most of the rest of their care follows.
What is the Sapindaceae family?
The Sapindaceae family — the maples & horse chestnuts — groups 34 species across 3 genera in the Growli library, most prominently Acer, Aesculus, Koelreuteria. Members share a broadly similar light, water and soil pattern, which is why it pays to learn the family before the individual plant.
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