Eastern Forest Threat Center - Norway Maple

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Norway maple foliage and fruits

Norway maple foliage and fruits

Bill Cook, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org

Norway Maple
Acer platanoides

Norway maple is native to Europe and Western Asia. It has escaped cultivation in the U.S.

Keywords: Aceraceae, deciduous, tree, dense foliage, grayish bark, palmate leaves, glossy dark green leaves, yellow fall foliage, milky sap, winged fruits

Distribution Map Distribution Source Image

Threat Description

Norway maple is a deciduous tree growing 40-60 ft. or more in height. It has dense foliage, a broad-rounded crown, and stout stems. Its bark is grayish and shallowly grooved or furrowed. Palmate leaves are opposite and 10-18 cm across with 5 to 7 sharply pointed lobes. The glossy dark green leaves, which often have hairs in axils of veins, develop into yellow fall foliage. A milky sap can be observed when the petiole is removed. In spring, showy clusters of yellow or greenish-yellow flowers develop before leaves open. Fruits mature during summer into wide-spreading wings that split down the middle, releasing each half to the wind. Trees produce a large quantity of seeds that can germinate rapidly. Norway maple prefers full sun, withstands hot dry conditions, and tolerates ozone and sulfur dioxide air pollution. It is adapted to extremes in soils. It can be found in early and late succession forest, forested wetlands, open disturbed areas, roadsides, vacant lots, yards and gardens. Trees have been found in woodlands near cities, especially in the northeastern U.S. Norway maple can be locally dominant in forest stands, create dense shade, and displace native trees, shrubs and herbs.