Field Maple (Acer campestre)
Field Maple (Acer campestre) is a deciduous tree with a dense, rounded crown that can grow up to 10m in height and up to 8m in width. It is the most common maple in Europe, has slow growth and can live up to 150 years or more.
Plant profile
Common name: Field Maple, Common elder, Common maple, Hedge mapleScientific name: Acer campestre
Plant type: Trees
Height: 8m - 15m
Spread: 3m - 8m
Foliage: Deciduous
Foliage color: Green (spring), Green (summer), Red (autumn), Yellow (autumn)
Sunlight: Full Sun, Partial shade
Soil: Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Moisture: Moist but well drained
Garden type: Coastal, Informal Garden
Planting type: Hedging & Screens, Low Maintenance
The leaves of the field maple have 5 lobes and a stem of identical length to the leaf. They are red when young, green in late summer to become later, yellow and red in autumn. The leaves expel a milky sap when they are broken. This tree is one of our top choices for autumnal color.
It presents green flowers in spring, followed by seeds with wings typical of maples that ripen in shades of red.
How to plant
This tree prefers to be planted in places of full sun and in well-drained soils.
Acer campestre is an excellent tree for deciduous hedges, providing a good nesting place for birds. These hedges should be pruned in winter.
Propagation
Propagation is done by seed, layering, cuttings or by shoots that grow at the base of the trunk. It is easily naturalized if ecological conditions and man allow it.
