In orthodox seeds the cell division within the embryo meristems arrests during maturation at embryo moisture content (MC) 65% to 47%, and the maturation completion and transition of seeds to quiescent state occurs at MC about 10%. The arrest of cycling happens asynchronously in different meristematic tissues during desiccation: first in shoot and then in root. The aim of this work was to define a mitotic activity dynamics in recalcitrant seeds with the high MC at maturation end and the absence of quiescent state characteristic of it. The object was seeds of Acer saccharinum, using widely for planting of greenery in Kiev city. The mitotic activity was determined in 0.5 mm of the embryo root pole (RP) and 0.5 mm of the shoot pole with embryo leaves (SP). The A. sachharinum seeds completed them maturation at MC 53% (FW basis). During maturation the mitotic index (MI) in RP decreased from 3.2% in immature seeds (at embryos MC 80%) to 0 in mature seeds and in SP–from 5.4% to 3.3%, respectively. Cell division in SP arrested by dehydration of mature embryos to MC 46% by PEG 6000 (30%). The seeds lost viability by desiccation to MC 34%. The mature seeds were able to germinate immediately after abscission. During seed germination the cell division reactived in RP and increased in SP already before root protrusion. In plantlets 10–15 mm long the MI increased to 8% in RP and 12% in SP. Thus, the strategy of immediate germination of recalcitrant A. sachharinum seeds includes a preservation of cell division in SP of mature embryos, in contrast with orthodox seeds, and high mitotic activity levels in meristems of germinating embryos before and after root protrusion.