The Chinese, or Japanese Maple ( Acer palmatum) is not a native of North America but,  as its name suggests, of Asia. 

The Chinese maple at our altar today during the Season of Creation is a descendant of the Chinese Maple planted at Fr. Thomas Berry’s research center in Riverdale, NY, by Brother Conrad Fiederspiel, CP, one of Tom’s devoted friends and assistants. Conrad gave a cutting of that tree to my sister, who planted it in her back yard about 25 years ago. It’s now provided a shoot for us.

The Chinese Maple grows to the height of 15 to 20 feet. It has an interesting growth pattern in its limbs and brilliant leaves in the fall, something like the pattern in Thomas Berry’s own life. 

So many of our plants, flowers and trees are like the Chinese Maple – immigrants in new lands. They witness to the connectedness of creation. They bring new refreshing life. We can’t live without them. Only a few might we call “invasive species.”

Victor Hoagland, CP