Common Name: Norway Maple

General Information

Acer platanoides is a deciduous tree with a dense, symmetrical, rounded crown; it can grow 18 - 21 metres tall, occasionally reaching 27 metres or more[].
The tree is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of materials, whilst the wood is also used commercially on a small scale. It is often grown as an ornamental in parks and large gardens and has often been used as a street tree.
The Norway maple is a quick-growing tree that has been widely planted in temperate areas. It produces seed freely and has often escaped from cultivation and invaded native habitats. In North American forests where this tree has invaded, understories below its dense canopies exhibit reduced species richness, increased abundances of conspecific seedlings relative to nearby non-invaded areas, declines in native tree regeneration, and seedling pools that are dominated by it. The high proportion of Acer platanoides seedlings indicates that its abundance is likely to increase over time[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Europe, from Scandanavia to Spain, east through Europe to Iran and Afghanistan

Habitat

ound in a range of habitats, succeeding on all but very poor soils[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	18.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Acer platanoides is a very cold-hardy plant, able to tolerate temperatures down to around -35°c when dormant[].
Of easy cultivation, it prefers a good moist well-drained soil but thrives in any soil[, ]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Prefers a sunny position but tolerates some shade[, ]. One report says that plants tolerate chalky soils[], but another says that plants can develop chlorosis as a result of iron deficiency when they are grown in alkaline soils. Trees are very tolerant of atmospheric pollution[].
The best sap production comes from cold-winter areas with continental climates. The tree trunk is tapped in the early spring, the sap flowing better on warm sunny days following a frost.
There are many named forms that have been selected for their ornamental value[].
Norway maple is a bad companion plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants[, ].
The leaves are seldom eaten or defaced by insects because the tree contains a sharp milky juice that they dislike[].
Trees take 30 years to produce seed[].

Edible Uses

The sap contains a certain amount of sugar and can either be used as a drink, or can be concentrated into a syrup by boiling off the water[, , ]. The syrup is used as a sweetener on many foods. The concentration of sugar is considerably lower than in the sugar maples (Acer saccharum)[].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

The trees are fairly wind tolerant and are often used in to give protection from the wind in mixed shelterbelts[]. They are fast-growing and rapidly produce a screen[].

Other Uses

We have two reports that the leaves of maple species, when laid in layers between crops such as apples, carrots and potatoes, have a preservative effect[, ]. The reports do not name any specific species[].

A rose coloured dye is obtained from the bark[].

The heartwood is white and not clearly demarcated from the sapwood. The wood is close-grained, hard and heavy. It is used for small domestic items[, , , ]. The wood is used sparingly as a lumber species in Europe for veneer and for specialty items such as tool handles, gun stocks and violins[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame, it usually germinates in the following spring. Pre-soak stored seed for 24 hours and then stratify for 2 - 4 months at 1 - 8°c. It can be slow to germinate. The seed can be harvested 'green' (when it has fully developed but before it has dried and produced any germination inhibitors) and sown immediately. It should germinate in late winter. If the seed is harvested too soon it will produce very weak plants or no plants at all[, ]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on until they are 20cm or more tall before planting them out in their permanent positions.
Layering, which takes about 12 months, is successful with most species in this genus.
Cuttings of young shoots in early summer . The cuttings should have 2 - 3 pairs of leaves, plus one pair of buds at the base. Remove a very thin slice of bark at the base of the cutting, rooting is improved if a rooting hormone is used. The rooted cuttings must show new growth during the summer before being potted up otherwise they are unlikely to survive the winter.
Cultivars can be budded onto rootstocks of the species. Any grafting is best carried out in September rather than late winter.