When I purchased this plant, I was told it’s a maple bush. Is it?

WINNEBAGO, ILLINOIS Priscilla Sartorius

Melinda: Your small tree/large shrub is an Amur maple (Acer ginnala). Its small scale, hardy nature, fragrant flowers and fall color made it a popular plant for landscaping. Like some other garden favorites, it's become invasive throughout the Northeast, the Midwest and a few counties west of the Rockies. Wind spreads the winged fruit into nearby natural spaces, where the seeds sprout. This vigorous grower can crowd out native plants that birds, insects and other native wildlife depend on.