[4] Acer griseum is found in the Chinese provinces of Gansu, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Shaanxi, Shanxi and Sichuan, at altitudes of 1,500–2,000 m (4,921–6,562 ft).

[5] The bark is smooth, shiny orange-red, peeling in thin, papery layers; it may become fissured in old trees.

[4][6][7] Acer griseum was introduced to cultivation in Europe in 1901 by Ernest Henry Wilson for the Veitch Nurseries in the UK, and to North America shortly after.

It is admired for its decorative exfoliating bark, translucent pieces of which often stay attached to the branches until worn away.

[8] In 2015, the North America-China Plant Exploration Consortium (NACPEC) conducted an expedition specifically targeting Acer griseum for seed collection with the object of increasing the genetic diversity of plants in cultivation.