Field maple (Acer campestre) is a deciduous flowering plant species native to continental Europe and western Asia. Field maple grows in plains, hills and along rivers. This species is grown as an ornamental tree in parks and gardens. Its wood is used to make flooring and musical instruments.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Acer campestre, known as the field maple, is a flowering plant species in the family Sapindaceae. It is native to much of continental Europe, Britain, southwest Asia from Turkey to the Caucasus, and north Africa in the Atlas Mountains. It has been widely planted, and is introduced outside its native range in Europe and areas of USA and Western Australia with suitable climate.
It is a deciduous tree reaching 15–25 m (49–82 ft) tall, with a trunk up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) in diameter, with finely fissured, often somewhat corky bark. The shoots are brown, with dark brown winter buds. The leaves are in opposite pairs, 5–16 cm (2.0–6.3 in) long (including the 3–9 cm (1.2–3.5 in) petiole) and 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) broad, with five blunt, rounded lobes with a smooth margin.
Usually monoecious, the flowers are produced in spring at the same time as the leaves open, yellow-green, in erect clusters 4–6 cm (1.6–2.4 in) across, and are insect-pollinated. The fruit is a samara with two winged achenes aligned at 180°, each achene is 8–10 mm (0.31–0.39 in) wide, flat, with a 2 cm (0.79 in) wing.
The two varieties, not accepted as distinct by all authorities, are:
- Acer campestre var. campestre – downy fruit
- Acer campestre var. leiocarpum (Opiz) Wallr. (syn. A. campestre subsp. leiocarpum) – hairless fruit
The closely related Acer miyabei replaces it in eastern Asia.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
The field maple has a certain requirement for sunlight and prefers a partially shaded area. In cases of exposure to direct sunlight in the summer, the leaves of most varieties will wither, so shading is required. As the plants get older and their root system grows, this condition will be less of a problem. A few varieties will tolerate exposure to direct sunlight, such as ‘Beni Maiko’ and ‘De Shojo’. Some weeping varieties can also tolerate exposure to direct sunlight, such as ‘Ao Shidare’.
Sunlight conditions will directly affect the ornamental appearance of field maple leaves. In the spring, sufficient sunlight will make the maple leaves more vivid, while in cases of insufficient sunlight or partial shading the leaf color may fade. During the fall, sunlight can also affect the leaf color. For potted plants, full exposure to sunlight is recommended during the spring and the fall, with partial shading in the summer.
Temperature
The field maple has good cold resistance and is able to tolerate low temperatures. The field maple is native to the margins of forests in China, Japan, and North Korea, so these trees generally prefer a humid environment. Most field maple plants have shallow root systems, so they should be watered frequently during the summer. For some varieties, a sprayed mist should be provided during the summer to increase the humidity of the air around them.
Watering
The field maple prefers the soil to be kept moist, especially during the summer, because dry weather can cause its leaves to scorch and even fall off in severe cases. During the summer, in addition to watering the roots, foliage can be sprayed during the evening to increase the humidity.
- In the summer, seedlings growing in pots may need watering twice a day, in the morning and the evening.
- In the spring and fall, watering should be carried out depending on the actual conditions. Watering can be reduced slightly as the temperature drops in the fall, which will help the leaves to change color.
- In the winter, it is only necessary to ensure that the soil does not dry out.
Attention should be paid to the watering of seedlings grown in gardens during the early stages. At later stages, water should be supplied according to the weather, that is if there is no rain for more than two weeks in the summer.
Soil
The field maple does not have many specific requirements for soil. It is a forest native, so it prefers well-drained soil that is rich in humus and slightly acidic. Its main root will extend deep into the soil, but its tiny fibrous roots will be concentrated near the soil surface, so accumulated water in the soil tends to cause root rot.
Fertilizing
Potted seedlings should be given slow-release fertilizer only. For seedlings grown in gardens, fertilizer should be applied three times a year: once in the early spring, once in early summer for the growth period, and once in the fall.
Planting Instructions
The best time for planting or transplanting a field maple is following defoliation in the fall. At this time, the leaves will have fallen off so there is little transpiration and water loss can be avoided. In addition, the root system will still be growing at this time, preparing for regrowth the following spring. Transplanting should be avoided on the coldest days because cold wind can kill some of the shoots and branches. During the winter, in areas that cannot be sheltered from the wind, it is recommended to cover the branches.
Pruning
Pruning is mainly used to enhance internal ventilation, improve shoot formation, promote growth, and for shaping. The common approach to pruning is to remove any old or weak branches, remove any branches that disrupt the shape of the tree, and remove any branches that cross other branches. Pruning is used to control the plant according to the required height and shape. Generally, this follows the “Y-type” pruning method.
It is possible to prune a field maple throughout the year, but the coldest winter months should be avoided to prevent damage to the plant. Major pruning to shape a maple can be performed following defoliation in the fall, or prior to leaf growth in the spring. It is recommended to prune in the fall because withered and full buds can be easily distinguished.
According to the shaping plan, you can prune any withered buds and keep the full ones, thus making your tree healthier. For pruning in the summer, diseased, weak, or dead branches can be removed, mainly to enhance the tree’s ventilation.
If grown as a potted plant, the roots can easily occupy the entire flowerpot due to the limited space. This can make a field maple prone to aging if an old flowerpot is not changed. It is recommended that old roots are pruned during the dormancy period, that is, cut off any old, coarse, diseased, and weak roots.
Propagation
Common propagation methods include grafting, taking cuttings, and sowing seeds.
Grafting is the most common propagation method. Seedlings of Acer palmatum or Acer oliverianum are usually selected for the rootstock. Grafted seedlings have strong roots and grow rapidly, but poor affinity is occasionally present in some cases. Seedlings with Acer oliverianum as the rootstock are less hardy.
Cuttings take longer to grow and are mostly used in the production of bonsai.
Sowing seeds is a common way to cultivate new varieties. The hybrid offspring of two different maples are sown and valuable individuals are then selected from the seedlings. The traits of the parents may not be maintained in the selected offspring.
III. Uses and Benefits
- Ornamental uses
A smaller species of maple tree, the field maple is grown in temperate gardens for its beautiful flowers and foliage, its attractiveness to pollinators, and its tolerance to pollution. Pruned field maples are often used as hedges, or the tree is allowed to grow unpruned as a specimen plant.
- Other uses
The wood is white, hard and strong, and used for furniture, flooring, wood turning and musical instruments, though the small size of the tree and its relatively slow growth make it an unimportant wood. It has an OPALS rating of 7.
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