Norway Maple

Unsurprisingly, the Norway maple is native to Europe, and is considered invasive in many places throughout the United States. In fact, the Norway maple is banned for sale in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. They tend to spread aggressively, reducing species richness and native tree regeneration. It releases harmful toxins that reduce the growth and reproduction of native species.

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Acer platanoides

HISTORY: The Norway maple was introduced to North America in the 1750s as an ornamental tree; Philadelphia botanist John Bartram received seedlings from English botanist Philip Miller and began to distribute the Norway maple in the American colonies.

LEAVES: The leaves of the Norway maple are slightly broader than those of the sugar maple. They are palmately lobed (with 5-7 lobes) and usually grow to 4-7 inches wide, with hair-like leaf tips and a milky white sap that exudes from petioles when broken. They are usually green in the summer, but some cultivated species are red.

FRUIT/CONE/NUT/SEED: Norway maples have brown winged seeds that are dispersed by wind.

FLOWERS: The flowers of Norway maples appear in April and May and are yellow-green in color. They appear in rounded clusters and are usually inconspicuous unless the entire tree is in flower.

BARK: The gray bark of the Norway maple has a regularly ridged pattern with furrows.

HEIGHT: Norway maples can attain heights of 40-50 feet.

USES: As an ornamental tree, Norway maples are tolerant of things many other species are not - such as flooding, drought, and de-icing salt. However, its invasiveness should be taken into consideration before planting.

SOURCES:

https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants/norway-maple-not-recommended/#more-information

https://www.sicim.info/news/invasiveofthemonthjune2021

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https://www.nrs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/jrnl/1990/ne_1990_nowak_003.pdf

The Beardsley Avenue District Tree Tour is generously sponsored by Kallimani Tree Services.