The Norway maple (Acer platanoides) is a large deciduous tree with a dense, rounded crown. Native to eastern and central Europe (but not the UK), it has been widely planted across the British Isles in streets, gardens and parks. Since its introduction in the seventeenth century, the Norway maple has become naturalised and now self-seeds in a wide range of habitats, including woods, scrubland and hedges.
These resilient acers are prized as ornamental trees for their characteristic lobed leaves that turn rich yellow, orange and brown in autumn. Acer is from the Latin for ‘sharp or hard’, possibly referring to the pointed tips of the lobes and teeth on the leaves, or to the hardness of the wood. Platanoides means ‘like a plane tree’ as the foliage is shaped similarly to that of species in the Platanus genus, which includes the London plane (Platanus x hispanica).
Norway maple grows quickly in the first few decades and can live for more than 250 years in its native habitat. In North America, it can outcompete the native sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and has a reputation for being an invasive species.
Acer platanoides has scented flowers in April that provide a valuable source of food for early pollinating insects. Once the flowers have been pollinated, they develop into winged fruits known as keys or samaras. The fruits are dispersed by the wind, autorotating with their helicopter-wings as they slowly descend. Winged fruits can stay in the air for longer than non-winged fruits, so they travel on the wind for greater distances.
The wood of the Norway maple is pale cream and relatively hard. It is used for turned objects, crates, furniture and musical instruments including violins. Despite its useful timber, Norway maple has not
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