Maples are widely used in this country. Because the trees with the typical leaf are often planted as ornamental trees. But which maple species are native to Germany?

In a nutshell

  • 100 to 200 maple species
  • only three or four of them are native
  • easy to distinguish by leaves and fruit

Maple (Acer)

Maple species are a separate genus in the plant family of the soap tree plants (Sapindaceae). The plant genus includes 100 to 200 species, many of which can be found in gardens. However, only five maple species are native to Germany, namely:

  • Sycamore (Scots maple)
  • Field maple (measure holder)
  • Norway maple (Norway maple)
  • French maple (rock maple, sycamore maple)
  • Snowball Maple (Spring Maple, Italian Maple)

Sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus)

Happen

  • Widest distribution in middle and higher mountain ranges (mixed forest together with beech and fir or with spruce)
  • Companion tree in lime-maple mixed forests, ravine and riparian forests
  • Natural occurrence in Germany: Harz, Ore Mountains, Bavarian Forest, Fichtelgebirge, Allgäu Alps
  • Introduced by humans in numerous other regions and subsequently naturalised
  • most common maple species in Germany

habit

The sycamore maple grows as a tree with a height of between 20 and 40 meters.

foliage leaves

  • arranged opposite
  • Petiole: 3 to 15 centimeters, contains no latex
  • leaf blade: five-lobed (palmately lobed), up to about 20 centimeters long and 10 to 15 centimeters wide, slightly hairy on the leaf veins
  • Leaf lobes: three fully developed (in the front part of the leaf), two not fully developed (in the rear part of the leaf), meet at an acute angle, pointed at the end (shorter than Norway maple)
  • Leaf margin: bluntly serrate
  • Leaf surface: dark green
  • Underside of leaf: grey-green
  • Autumn colour: intense golden yellow, bright reddish in higher regions

fruit

  • winged nuts
  • hang in pairs or in small groups
  • up to five centimeters long and five to six centimeters wide
  • Wings: acute or perpendicular to each other
  • Fruit ripening: late August to early October

Notice: With a possible age of up to 500 years, the sycamore outlives Norway and field maples by twice to three times.

Field maple (Acer campestre)

Happen

  • plain to hill country
  • in oak-hornbeam forests, beech and alluvial forests
  • in the mountains up to a height of 800 meters
  • Occurrence in German forests: Bavaria, Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, Thuringia
  • is often planted as an ornamental tree in gardens and parks, as an accompaniment to roadsides or windbreaks on plains, or as a hedge

habit

The field maple grows as a shrub or tree with a height of between three and twenty meters.

foliage leaves

  • arranged opposite
  • Petiole: five to nine centimeters long, contains milky sap
  • leaf blade: three to five obtuse-edged lobes, up to about 8 cm long and 5 to 8 cm wide, slightly hairy on the leaf veins
  • leaf lobes: rounded indentations between the lobes, lower leaf lobes mostly very small
  • Leaf margin: smooth
  • Leaf surface: dark green
  • Underside of leaf: lighter than upper side
  • Autumn colour: bright golden yellow to crimson

fruit

  • winged nuts
  • five to six inches wide
  • Wings: almost horizontal to each other
  • Fruit ripening: August to September

Norway maple (Acer platanoides)

Happen

  • in plains and hills
  • in the Northern Alps up to about 1,000 meters
  • most common in mixed deciduous forests with linden, ash, English oak, wych elm; Canyon forests and rift entrances
  • in Germany: almost everywhere, except extreme north-west
  • Use as an avenue tree, in gardens and parks as an ornamental tree, in urban areas for greening

Notice: Since the Norway maple is often planted as an ornamental tree, it is very common in Germany.

habit

The Norway maple grows as a tree. With a growth height of between 20 and 30 meters, it is shorter than the sycamore maple.

foliage leaves

  • arranged opposite
  • Petiole: up to 20 centimeters long, contains milky sap
  • Leaf blade: five-lobed (palmately lobed), up to 18 centimeters long and up to 25 centimeters wide (wider than sycamore), slightly hairy on the leaf veins
  • Leaf lobes: three fully developed (in the anterior part of the leaf), two incomplete (in the posterior part of the leaf), long acuminate, obtuse sinuses between the lobes
  • leaf margin: entire
  • Upper side of leaf: dark green, glossy
  • Underside of leaf: light green
  • Autumn colour: yellow, orange, red

fruit

  • winged nutlets (“nose pincher”)
  • up to five centimeters long and five to six centimeters wide
  • Wings: obtuse-angled to horizontal to each other
  • Fruit ripening: from September

Notice: In contrast to sycamore and field maple, the yellow flowers of Norway maple are striking because they appear before the leaves sprout.

Regional distribution

There are maple species that are not very common in Germany or are only distributed regionally. Nevertheless, they are at home in Germany. We introduce them to you.

French maple (Acer monspessulanum)

Happen

  • Middle Rhine area, wine-growing areas on the Moselle, Nahe and Main
  • isolated in climatically favorable locations in the upper Elbe valley
  • naturalized a long time ago (partly wild from castle gardens)
Source: S. Rae from Scotland, UK, Acer monspessulanum - Flickr - S. Rae, edited by Plantopedia, CC BY 2.0

habit

The rock maple grows as a small tree or large shrub and is between three and ten meters high.

foliage leaves

  • arranged opposite
  • reddish petiole: longer than leaf
  • leaf blade: three-lobed, three to six centimeters long and three to five centimeters wide
  • Leaf margin: smooth
  • Leaf surface: dark green
  • Autumn colour: golden yellow

fruit

  • winged nutlets (“nose pincher”)
  • up to five centimeters long and five to six centimeters wide
  • Wings: V-shaped, parallel to each other
  • Fruit ripening: late August to early October

snowball maple (Acer opalus)

Happen

  • in Germany only about five copies
  • in the German High Rhine area near Grenznach
Source: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, Acer opalus kz1, edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

habit

The snowball maple grows as a tree or large shrub with a height of up to 20 meters.

foliage leaves

  • arranged opposite
  • Petiole: 10 to 15 centimeters long, contains no latex
  • Leaf blade: three-lobed, rarely five-lobed, 12 to 14 centimeters wide, slight hairiness on the main veins on the underside of the leaf
  • Leaf margin: roughly serrate
  • Leaf surface: dark green
  • Underside of leaf: blue-grey-green
  • Autumn colour: yellow, orange

fruit

  • winged nutlets (“nose pincher”)
  • Wings: acute to perpendicular to each other

frequently asked Questions

Are maples poisonous?

Of the 100+ maple species, not all are poisonous. Among the native species, only the sycamore contains toxic substances. However, the symptoms of poisoning only occur in humans if larger quantities are consumed. Touching leaves and seeds is harmless.

Are maple species endangered in Germany?

The main danger for the sycamore maple is the sooty bark fungus, which causes the trees to die off. The fungus was first detected in Germany in 2005. The maple was hit particularly hard in the years 2022/2019, which is attributed to the hot, dry summers.

How fast do maples grow?

The field maple grows about 40 to 45 centimeters per year. The sycamore maple grows about 80 centimeters per year when young. With an increase in height of 40 to 60 centimeters, the Norway maple is in the middle.

Category:

Garden plants