Acer campastre (Field Maple)
Other Names: Common Maple, Dog Oak, Hedge Maple
Description: A medium sized deciduous tree with leaves that are typically small and cut into 5 blunt lobes, turning an attractive yellow or red in autumn. Flowers are a yellowish green in mostly erect spikes and appear at the same time as emerging leaves. Fruits are “Helicopter” like with twin blades set at 180. Common in wood edges but often found in hedges where it can stand alone, be shaped into the hedge or be coppiced.
Uses: Wood is often used for turning, furniture making and musical instruments but size and shape of tree reduce its usefulness
Conservation Value: Field Maple is attractive to aphids and so attracts their associated predators including Ladybirds, Birds and Hoverfly’s. Several species of moth feed on the leaves and the nectar attracts bees and birds. Small mammals feed on the fallen seeds in winter.
Preferred Locations: Tolerant species growing on loams, chalk, clay and sand and can stand moist to well drains soils. Likes full sunlight to partial shade light conditions
Size: Up to 25m but more usually 10 - 20m in height with 4 - 8m canopy spread
Time to reach full height: 10 to 20 years
Lifespan: Up to 350 years
