Field Maple

Description Field Maple

Growth habit

The crown of the field maple is round-shaped, it is about ten feet high - in rare cases, the field maple is also higher. The tree trunk is often curved, sometimes several trunks are formed so that the field maple grows in the form of a shrub. Often the branches form conspicuous cork strips. This tree is quite fast growing and can grow up to 150 years old. Birds like to use the dense crown for nest building or as cover. The branches grow diagonally upwards and are richly branched.

Leaves

Field maple leaves are arranged opposite, their petiole, which can be up to six inches long, contains a milky juice. The leaf is divided into five lobes, the end of the leaf is rounded and has small notches on the edge. While the top of the page shows a dull dark green, the underside of the leaves is bleak and lighter green. The pairs of leaves are crosswise to each other, the leaves are characterized by deep cuts.

Buds

The buds of the field maple are daintily small and egg-shaped. Their coloring is red to brown, at the top of a delicate hair is visible. The side buds face each other.

Bark

The bark is initially smooth in young trees, later it gets increasingly cracked. Their color is indicated by a dark gray or brown. The bark of the older field maple has deep furrows that run in longitudinal ribs.

Flowers

The flowers of the field maple appear together with the leaves. They are unisexual or hermaphrodite and contain a high nectar content. Their color is yellow to greenish. About 10 to 25 flowers are arranged in short panicles, which either stand upright or slightly protrude outwards. The main flowering time is in May.

Fruit

At an angle of 180 degrees, the schizocarps, which consist of two winged nuts, are in a straight line. Each of the small wings contains seeds from which new trees grow. The fruits are slightly smaller than those of the maple, the seeds of the field maple are spread by the wind.