Acer truncatum is a deciduous tree native to China in the maple family (Sapindaceae), named for the cut-square base of its five-lobed leaves. Growing 20 to 25 feet in zones 4 to 8, it is valued for its heat and drought tolerance, allowing it to perform in the climatic zone between where Sugar Maple succeeds and where nothing satisfying grows. The new spring foliage emerges with a reddish tone that fades to green, and the autumn colour of yellow, orange, and red is reliable without being spectacular.

Moths visit the small yellow spring flowers. It performs well in urban conditions — compaction, heat island effects, and variable soil quality do not affect it as they would more sensitive maples. The parent in the Crimson Sunset® hybrid, its qualities have been amplified in cultivation, but the straight species has a natural, composed character that makes it a useful garden tree in its own right.