I have been looking at Acer griseum (paperbark maple) for a while since it has lovely bark and should stay small enough for my needs in one spot where I'm considering placing it. My concern is whether it will seed around. I already have more than enough invasives on my land: buckthorn, honeysuckle, barberry and bittersweet, so I don't want to add any more problem plants. I live in an area of old farmland that has grown up into woodland over the last 70 or so years. This plant would be in a mulched bed in the middle of a field that is mown a few times a year and several hundred feet from the nearest woods.

I did a search on the tree forum and mostly it was reviewed as having little viable seed, though one person said that if more than one were planted nearby they will have more viable seed. However, none of those folks lived in this part of the country, so their experience has limited value to me as invasiveness varies wildly with soil and climate.

There is one (and only one that I am aware of) on the UNH campus that had several seedlings in the grass beneath it when I looked closely, but I didn't see any seedlings in nearby mulched shrub and perennial beds. I haven't seen any paperbark maples anywhere else in this area, though I know of one nursery in the state that had a few last time I visited.

So I am wondering about the experiences of New Englanders with this tree. Do you know of one that's old enough to have seed and if so, have you seen any seedings under the tree or in any area nearby? Also, is the tree by itself or are there others nearby?

Thanks in advance for your help.