Question
Hi, Tom,
There's a great deal written on websites about propagating laceleaf maples from seeds or seedlings that fall from trees. I have five laceleaf maples (one green and four red), and would love to try seedling propagation, but for the life of me, when I look at them, I can't see anything but branches and leaves. I've looked all around where the leaves have fallen and again see nothing but the fallen leaves - nothing that looks like seeds or seedlings. What do seedlings look like?  
By the way, I live in Vancouver and my trees do beautifully here. I've had them for 2 - 5 years. Only one of them is in the ground and the remaining four are doing very well each year in large pots.
Thanks.
Maureen

Answer
Hi Maureen,
Thanx for your question.  I was looking at UBC's website about this.  Some things I have read are that the seeds are sterile, the seeds have low germination rate (as low as 10%), stray seedlings may be found in the spring underneath the existing trees, the trees are difficult to propagate from cuttings.  Maple seedlings just look like miniature maple trees, small, fragile looking, delicate, tiny leaves.  It will be obvious when you see one but they will be rare.  The tree does not produce many seeds.  The seeds almost appear as chaff.  The look like brown chips of wood, probably 1.25cm long, thin, with a tiny ball shape at the end.  They are actually like a small winged seed but according to what I've read, the tree doesn't produce much seed.  I hope this helps.
Tom