British Native Trees
and Shrubs

Field Maple Acer campestre (Aceraceae)

‘For who would rob a hermit of his weeds,
His few books, as his beads, or Maple dish,
Or do his grey hairs any violence?’

Comus
John Milton

This is the only native maple, a picturesque tree with rugged bark and the brightest autumn foliage of any English tree, the dark-green leaves turning from shades of deep golden-yellow to amber. Although capable of reaching 26 m, it is slow-growing and seldom attains much above 10-15 m. The young branches are green at first but later become light brown, and the old branches develop corky wings. The pale, greyish trunk is initially smooth before developing shallow fissures, while the opposite leaves, 5-15 cm long, are often rosy tinted as they unfurl and have 3-5 blunt lobes. They are downy beneath, at least on the veins. Upright clusters of small, pale greenish-yellow flowers, each with five petals, appear in April and May. Male and female flowers are found on the same tree and the latter develop pairs of seeds with wings similar to those of its close relative, the sycamore. Maple wings differ in that they that are not angled but lie in a straight line and are often tinged with pink.

Field maple is found in hedgerows and mixed woodland, mainly on chalk and limestone, in south and east England.

Its attractive, round-headed shape and interesting bark make it an ideal feature tree. Although it grows fairly quickly at first, it slows down once it is established and can take 50 years to reach maturity. It can also be grown as part of a hedge as it clips well. It is easily raised from seeds which are best gathered in the autumn and sown immediately in nursery rows as germination falls off rapidly if seeds are stored. After two or three years and thinning out, seedlings can be planted in their permanent sites between October and March.

The wood was once much prized for making mathematical instruments, gun-stocks, musical instruments decorative woodwork and delicate bowls. Medieval drinking vessels were made of field maple.

The flowers attract small, pollinating insects while the leaves produce a honeydew on which hairstreak butterflies may feed. The leaves are the foodplant of the maple prominent moth and sycamore moth caterpillars and they can become infested by gall mites or leaf miners. Tiny red bumps, smaller than a pinhead, on the leaves are caused by insects making a nest for their young.

Page last updated - January 10, 2002  

©2001-2002 Flora for Fauna