Acer Species, European Maple, Norway Maple

Acerplatanoides

Family
Sapindaceae (sap-in-DAY-see-ee)
Genus
Acer (AY-ser)
Species
platanoides (pla-tan-OY-dees)
Synonym
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Sun to Partial Shade
Foliage
Deciduous
Height
over 40 ft. (12 m)
Spacing
over 40 ft. (12 m)
Hardiness
USDA Zone 2b: to -42.7 °C (-45 °F)
USDA Zone 3a: to -39.9 °C (-40 °F)
USDA Zone 3b: to -37.2 °C (-35 °F)
USDA Zone 4a: to -34.4 °C (-30 °F)
USDA Zone 4b: to -31.6 °C (-25 °F)
USDA Zone 5a: to -28.8 °C (-20 °F)
USDA Zone 5b: to -26.1 °C (-15 °F)
USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 °C (-10 °F)
USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 °C (-5 °F)
USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F)
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F)
Danger
N/A
Bloom Color
Pale Yellow
Green
Pale Green
Bloom Time
Mid Spring
Late Spring/Early Summer
Other Details
Category
Trees
Water Requirements
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater
Foliage Color
Where to Grow
Bloom Characteristics
Bloom Size
Other details
May be a noxious weed or invasive
Soil pH requirements
5.6 to 6.0 (acidic)
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
Patent Information
Non-patented
Propagation Methods
From hardwood cuttings
From seed; direct sow outdoors in fall
From seed; stratify if sowing indoors
From seed; sow indoors before last frost
From seed; direct sow after last frost
Self-sows freely; deadhead if you do not want volunteer seedlings next season
Seed Collecting
Allow seedheads to dry on plants; remove and collect seeds
Regional

This plant is said to grow outdoors in the following regions:

Norwich, Connecticut

Champaign, Illinois

Glen Ellyn, Illinois

Indianapolis, Indiana

Clermont, Kentucky

Frankfort, Kentucky

Georgetown, Kentucky

Lexington, Kentucky

Louisville, Kentucky

Nicholasville, Kentucky

Paris, Kentucky

Versailles, Kentucky

Lawrence, Massachusetts

Milton, Massachusetts

Minneapolis, Minnesota(2 reports)

South Saint Paul, Minnesota

Haddonfield, New Jersey

Jamestown, Ohio

Downingtown, Pennsylvania

Gibsonia, Pennsylvania

Smokerun, Pennsylvania

Orem, Utah

Elmwood, Wisconsin

show all

Featured Videos

Gardener's Notes:

4
positives
2
neutrals
9
negatives
Sort By:
Sort By:
C
ROSLINDALE, MA | February 2014 | negative

It's illegal to plant this species where I garden, but I still have to pull thousands of its seedlings out of the beds every year. In the...Read More

R
Downingtown, PA | January 2014 | neutral

It is usually a good qualtiy tree, one of the hard maples, that tolerates urban conditions very well of pollution, salt, limited root spa...Read More

C
Milton, MA (Zone 6a) | January 2013 | negative

Ugh. Norway maples have a 250% germination rate in New England. When we moved into our house, there were two tiny trees in the back yard ...Read More

K
Laurel, MD | September 2010 | negative

This tree is very invasive in the US. I will encourage others to plant other native trees like Sugar Maples. This tree is ruining my woodland!

E
East Longmeadow, MA (Zone 5b) | February 2010 | negative

Noxious Weed Information:
Acer platanoides L.

This plant is listed by the U.S. federal government or a state.
...Read More

C
Silver Spring, MD | July 2009 | negative

The Norway maple throws seedlings like mad, tends to shade everything out, has rather dull fall color, and tends to die back erratically....Read More

C
C
West Pottsgrove, PA (Zone 6b) | May 2009 | negative

This is one of the most common weed trees in the eastern U.S.

N
Edmonton, AB (Zone 4a) | October 2008 | positive

Sparse population of Norway Maple exist in Edmonton, Ab but they do well when given adequate water. Do not like naturally arid condition...Read More

W
Haddonfield, NJ | May 2008 | positive

One of my favorite trees (among the various oaks, maples, hollies, cherries, dogwoods, spruce, pine, willows and cedar on my property). I...Read More

M
Coon Rapids, MN (Zone 4a) | March 2006 | negative

I wish I hadn't plant it in two locations in my yard many years ago. Beside evergreen, it is the hardest tree for planting plants under. ...Read More

P
Minneapolis, MN | March 2005 | negative

Norway maples do not mature well in the midwest. Nearly every mature midwest city tree has a twisted trunk with a visible split twisting ...Read More

S
Oklahoma City, OK (Zone 7a) | November 2004 | neutral

Beautiful fall foliage. Grows well in zones 4-7 and does well within city limits. This tree is very popular because it is densely branc...Read More

K
K
| April 2003 | negative

The Norway Maple is a horrible tree and no one should ever plant one. It is terribly invasive, and though it is planted in urban areas, ...Read More

C
Ashland, WI (Zone 4b) | January 2003 | positive

This tree is commonly planted along city streets due to its ability to tolerate pollution and urban conditions.

It has an...Read More

E
E
(Zone 4b) | October 2002 | positive

Big leaved maple species. Very common in Fennoscandia and northern Europe. Leaves have beautiful fall colors, they appear in yellow, red,...Read More

Featured
Badge Huntsman
(Neosparassus diana)
Falcated Teal
(Anas falcata)
Featured
Badge Huntsman
(Neosparassus diana)
Falcated Teal
(Anas falcata)