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Features

Tree

Leaf

Blossom

Fruit

  Latin name Acer campestre
  Family Sapindaceae (soapberry family)
  Distribution Europe, Anatolia, Northern Iran, North Africa
  Height Up to 15 m
  Age Up to 200 years
  Roots Heart root system, shallow lateral roots on good soil
  Bark Grey-brown, initially smooth bark with many lenticels, later rough with longitudinal and transverse furrows. Young twigs sometimes form corky ridges.
  Leaves
Deciduous, stalked leaves with 3-5 lobes and milky sap, rounded teeth, dark green above, lighter below with leaf vein axillary tufts. Bright yellow to orange autumnal colouring.
  Flowers 10 to 20 yellowish-green flowers arranged in upright, up to 15 cm long panicles; appear along with the foliage.
  Flowering period May
  Fruits Two-parted, large-winged samara, initially red, then light green, later brown. Wings nearly in a line opposite each other. Dispersed by swirling through the wind.
  Fruiting period September to October
  Alternative names Hedge maple

 

Acer campestre

The field maple, also known as hedge maple, is a native tree from the soapberry family (Sapindaceae). It is widely distributed in forests as well as field and forest edges throughout Europe. As a single or multi-stemmed tree or branched shrub, it can live up to 200 years and reach a height of up to 15 metres. This makes the field maple the smallest of the native maple species.

The field maple will become increasingly important due to its high tolerance to environmental stresses and drought. Its heart root system provides high wind tolerance, making it useful for bioengineering applications such as slope stabilisation or windbreak hedges.

Ecology

The melliferous flowers are pollinated by flies, honey bees, and wild bees. Honey bees are not only interested in the nectar but also in honeydew produced by aphids. Pure maple honey from maple stands is amber-coloured, creamy, and mildly malty in taste. The field maple is also an important food source for many butterfly species, especially owlet moths, geometrid moths, and silkworm moths. Some butterfly caterpillars, such as those of Cyclophora lennigiaria and the maple pug, exclusively feed on the leaves and flowers of the field maple. Birds use the dense crowns and hedges of the field maple as nesting sites and for shelter.

Wood

The field maple provides heavy and extremely hard wood. It is characterised by its high elasticity, toughness, abrasion resistance and being significantly heavier than the wood of Norway maples or sycamores. As it only shrinks moderately, it is easy to work with. Field maple is primarily used for carpentry, woodturning and carving. It is typically used for tool handles, especially axe handles, toys as well as household and kitchen utensils. Stem sections with grain growth provide high-quality veneer for exclusive furniture and interior fittings.