| Common Name | Latin Name | Plant Family |
|---|---|---|
|
Norway Maple |
Acer platanoides |
Aceraceae |
The leaves are packed around apples, rootcrops etc to help preserve them[18, 20].
The trees are fairly wind tolerant and are often used in to give protection from the wind in mixed shelterbelts[200]. They are fast-growing and rapidly produce a screen[200].
A rose coloured dye is obtained from the bark[57].
Wood – hard, heavy, fine grained. Used for small domestic items[4, 13, 46, 61].
Cultivation & Habitat
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[80, 113]. 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 June or July. 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 February.
Of easy cultivation, it prefers a good moist well-drained soil but thrives in any soil[11, 17]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Prefers a sunny position but tolerates some shade[11, 200]. One report says that plants tolerate chalky soils[200], 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[226].
The Norway maple is a quick-growing tree that has been widely planted in Britain and is more or less naturalized. There are many named forms that have been selected for their ornamental value[11].
Norway maple is a bad companion plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants[18, 20].
The leaves are seldom eaten or defaced by insects because the tree contains a sharp milky juice that they dislike[4].
Trees take 30 years to produce seed[98].
Europe, from Scandanavia to the Urals and the Mediterranean, east to W.Asia. Naturalized in Britain.
Become ungovernable, break the chains of the matrix; grow and forage your own food and medicine.
*None of the information on this website qualifies as professional medical advice. Take only what resonates with your heart and use your own personal responsibility for what’s best for you. For more information [brackets] [000], see bibliography.