Acer platanoides, Norway maple
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Broadleaf Deciduous Trees

Acer platanoides

Norway maple

Sapindaceae

Europe and western Asia, Norway to the Caucasus and Ural Mountains

At a Glance

TypeTree
HabitSpreading
FoliageDeciduous
Height40-60 feet (12-18 m)
Width30-50 feet (9-15 m)
Maturity20 years

Growing Zones

USDA Hardiness Zones

4 - 7
Zone 4
Zone 5
Zone 6
Zone 7
These zones indicate the coldest temperatures this plant can typically survive.
Frost Tolerancehardy

Key Features

Attracts Pollinators
Drought Tolerant
Maintenancelow

Overview

Acer platanoides is a large deciduous tree reaching 40–60 feet (12–18 m) tall and 30–50 feet (9–15 m) wide, with a dense, rounded to oval crown. Leaves are palmate with 5–7 pointed lobes and a few coarse teeth, 4–7 inches (10–18 cm) across, dark green above and lighter beneath, turning yellow in fall. A diagnostic feature: when the petiole or leaf is broken, milky white sap exudes from the cut surface. Bark is gray and develops interlacing ridges with age. In early spring, yellow-green flowers appear in erect clusters 2–3 inches (5–8 cm) across before or with leaf emergence. Paired samaras spread at nearly 180 degrees and ripen in fall. Growth rate is moderate to fast, 1.5–2 feet (45–60 cm) per year in youth. Surface roots are aggressive and can lift pavement and outcompete lawn grass within the drip line. Dense shade limits understory plant establishment. Acer platanoides is listed as invasive in numerous US states and Canadian provinces, where seedlings establish prolifically in forest understories and displace native vegetation; its use is regulated or discouraged in natural area buffers throughout much of the Pacific Northwest and northeastern North America.

Native Range

Native to Europe and western Asia, from Norway and Sweden south to the Caucasus and northern Iran, and east to the Ural Mountains. Found in mixed deciduous and montane forests, typically on fertile, moist soils at elevations from sea level to approximately 5,900 feet (1,800 m).

Suggested Uses

Planted as a large shade tree in parks, roadsides, and large commercial landscapes where space accommodates its mature spread and surface roots. Its use near natural areas, forest edges, riparian corridors, and wildlands is discouraged across the Pacific Northwest and regulated in several US states due to its invasive potential. Consult local invasive species guidelines before planting.

How to Identify

Distinguished from other maples by milky white sap that exudes from any broken leaf petiole or stem — no other common landscape maple shares this trait. Leaves have 5–7 pointed lobes with a few coarse teeth, 4–7 inches (10–18 cm) across. Paired samaras spread at nearly 180 degrees, nearly flat. Yellow-green flowers appear in erect clusters before leaf emergence in early spring. Bark develops interlacing gray ridges on mature trees.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height40' - 60'
Width/Spread30' - 50'

Reaches mature size in approximately 20 years

Colors

Flower Colors

yellow
green

Foliage Colors

dark green

Fall Foliage Colors

yellow

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~3 weeks
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Spring
Blooms late March through April in zones 4–7, with erect yellow-green flower clusters 2–3 inches (5–8 cm) across appearing before or concurrent with leaf emergence. Individual clusters last 2–3 weeks. Samaras ripen September through October and are dispersed by wind, germinating prolifically the following spring.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

yellow-green

Foliage Description

dark green above, lighter beneath; yellow in fall

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

Full Sun
Partial Shade
Requires 4-8 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range4.5 - 7.5(Neutral)
357912
Soil Types
loamclaysandsilt
Drainage
well drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

15-25 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Establish with regular watering for the first 1–2 years; once established, the tree tolerates drought, compacted soils, road salt, and air pollution — conditions that account for its widespread urban planting. Avoid planting within 8–10 feet (2.4–3 m) of pavement or structures, as surface roots spread widely and can lift hardscape. The dense canopy and surface roots limit lawn grass establishment within the drip line; mulch or shade-tolerant groundcovers are alternatives. Verticillium wilt can cause branch dieback; no cure — remove affected branches and avoid wounding roots. Monitor for and remove seedlings in adjacent naturalized areas promptly to limit spread.

Pruning

Prune during dormancy (November through February) or in summer (July–August) to minimize sap bleeding. Remove dead, damaged, or crossing branches. Avoid heavy pruning; this species bleeds sap freely from large wounds. Structural pruning of young trees (years 3–10) reduces the need for large corrective cuts later. Do not prune in spring when sap pressure is highest.

Pruning Schedule

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wintersummer

Maintenance Level

low

⚠️ Toxicity Warning

Non-toxic