Acer platanoides Norway Maple
Family: Sapindaceae
Plant community: Urban Growth
Origins: Northern/central Europe, western Asia.
Mature size: 40-60’ tall, 2/3 or equal spread, broad spreading crown with age.
Habitat: Tolerates shade and compacted soils. Well adapted to extremes in soils, will withstand sand, clay soils. Tolerates heat and drought.
Hardiness zone: 4-7
Leaf: Opposite, 5 lobed shape. Dark green turning tallow in late fall persisting later than other maples. Milky sap from petiole.
Flower: Clusters of chartreuse wind pollinated flowers, followed by wide angled samara.
Urban landscape applications: Due to its ability to tolerate compaction and shade, it is dominant in late successional disturbed urban woodlands. Common along streams and riverbanks, in neglected residential and commercial landscapes, in vacant lots and dumps. Tolerant of roadway salt. Serves as heat reduction in paved areas, erosion control on slopes. Common in the northeast, but extremely persistent in reproduction and considered invasive in some places. Used as a lawn, street, and park tree but should be given considerable space if planted.
Sources: Peter Del Tredici, Wild Urban Plants of the Northeast: A Field Guide, Michael Dirr, Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, www.mortonarb.org