Norway Maple Acer Platanoides Hardy in Zones 3-7 H 60' Spread 50'

Diameter 1-2 foot

Habitat. It prefers rich, well drained soil but can grow almost anywhere. A round headed, dense tree that grows fast.

Leaves. Opposite, 5-7" long, simple, Dense dark green foliage, similar to sugar maple leaves but has more leaf teeth. Best test of a Norway maple is to crush a leafstalk to get the milky sap. Bright yellow fall color and holds leaves longer than sugar maple.

Flower. Norway maples have large bright yellow-green flowers that pop out  in May to June in flat clusters..

Fruit. The fruit 1 3/4" ripens in the fall with the typical whirlybirds. Has the widest spread of all maples on seed pods. Shaped like a recurved bow.

Winter Buds. Buds are large, 3/16", rounded, blunt, dark brown on gray brown twigs.

Bark. The bark is distinctively different from Sugar maple, young it is faintly striped, older it has a slight look of ash bark.

Wood. The wood is hard, heavy, closed grained with white sapwood. It is good firewood.

Uses. Lumped with sugar maple when at the sawmill.

Pests. Does not get Maple decline as Sugars do but is susceptible to tar spots and leaf scorch though neither disease is fatal. Can get verticillium wilt.

Distribution. Native of Europe and is considered invasive in many of the eastern states.

Other. Of the 13 maples native to North America Michigan is fortunate to have 7 that are native. One that is not is the Norway Maple. A favorite street and park tree and gives dense shade. Easy to transplant but watch for splitting of the bark caused by warm winter day followed by cold temps. Paint the trunk with white latex paint till the bark gets thicker.

	Summer Color