SAPINDACEAE - - Soapberry Family

* Acer platanoides Linnaeus — Norway Maple

* this species is not native to the United States

Norway Maple (Acer platanoides) is a native of Europe and has become one of the most popular and widely planted trees in North America, but perhaps not here in the South. Although reported as the most commonly encountered street tree of cities and towns, this is evidently further north in cooler climes. I don't believe it is popular here in the hot climate of the South and our most popular street tree seems to always be willow oak (Quercus phellos). Norway maple, in favorable conditions, can reach 98 feet in height, and makes a very dense shade, with a rounded crown. The National Champion has a circumference of 212 inches (17.67 feet), a height of 104 feet, and a spread of 95 feet. The species name "platanoides" means like a plane-tree or sycamore (Platanus).

Separating Characteristics

The leafstalks of this species, when broken, produce a milky sap. This is a very good id feature as all the other species of maple in the southeast have clear sap. The leaves have 5 or 7 rather shallow lobes, each lobe has several long drawn-out (acuminate) points. The fruits are very wide-spreading, almost to 180°.

Habitat

Norway maple grows well in a variety of soils, even in nutrient-poor, compacted soils in cities. It is more tolerant of dust, smoke, and air pollutants than native species. It is found in suburban woodlands, disturbed forests, hedgerows; native of Europe. In much of the ne. United States, A. platanoides has become a noxious weed tree. A commonly planted cultivar has purple foliage.

Habitat information from:
Weakley, Alan S., Flora of the Southern and Mid-Atlantic States, Working Draft of 21 May 2015.

Range

Norway maple is found from Quebec south to North Carolina, Tennessee, northward to Minnesota, and then again in the western states of Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, also British Columbia.

The range of Acer platanoides (Norway Maple)

Kartesz, J.T., The Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2015. North American Plant Atlas. (http://bonap.net/napa). Chapel Hill, N.C. [maps generated from Kartesz, J.T. 2015. Floristic Synthesis of North America, Version 1.0. Biota of North America Program (BONAP). (in press)].