Practical
Plants

Acer campestre

Field Maple

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Acer genus in the family Aceraceae.

Illustration of field maple leaves, flowers, and winged seeds
Acer campestrie L ag1.jpg by Dictionaire des plantes suisses (1853), scanned by Arnaud Gaillard ·Public domain · Resized for the web

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Aceraceae
Genus
Acer
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
vigorous
Height
15 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
monoecious
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The sap contains a certain amount of sugar and can either be used as a drink, or can be concentrated into a syrup by boiling off the water[15]. The concentration of sugar is considerably lower than in the sugar maples (A. saccharum). The syrup is used as a sweetener on many foods. The tree trunk is tapped in the early spring, the sap flowing better on warm sunny days following a frost. The best sap production comes from cold-winter areas with continental climates. There are no edible uses listed for Acer campestre.

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The bark is astringent and slightly anticholesterolemic[12]. A decoction has been used to bathe sore eyes[12]. The bark should be sun-dried and then stored in a dry place until required[12].

Product or use
Anticholesterolemic
Product or use
Astringent

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The leaves are packed around apples, rootcrops etc to help preserve them[6][8]. A fast growing plant and bearing clipping well, it makes an excellent clipped hedge and can also be used as part of a native wildlife hedge where it is only trimmed every 3 - 4 years[200, K]. It has also been used in topiary[9]. Wood - fine-grained, tough, elastic, hard to split, takes a high polish and is seldom attacked by insects. Trees are seldom large enough to supply much usable timber, but when available it is much valued by cabinet makers[10][12][4][11][3]. It is also used for cups bowls etc[3]. The wood of the roots is often knotted and is valued for small objects of cabinet work[10]. The wood is an excellent fuel[10]. A charcoal made from the wood is a good fuel[10][3].

Product or use
Charcoal
Product or use
Fuel
Product or use
Preservative
Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Secondary canopy

Environment

Range
Europe, including Britain, from Sweden to Spain and east to western Asia and the Caucasus.
Habitat
Open deciduous woods, hedgerows and scrub, usually on basic soils[5].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 4+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay, heavy clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
Tolerances
high wind
Wind
Yes
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame, it usually germinates in the following spring. Pre-soak stored seed for 24 hours and then stratify for 2 - 4 months at 1 - 8°c. It can be slow to germinate. The seed can be harvested 'green' (when it has fully developed but before it has dried and produced any germination inhibitors) and sown immediately. It should germinate in late winter. If the seed is harvested too soon it will produce very weak plants or no plants at all[13][2]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on until they are 20cm or more tall before planting them out in their permanent positions. Layering, which takes about 12 months, is successful with most species in this genus. Cuttings of young shoots in June or July. The cuttings should have 2 - 3 pairs of leaves, plus one pair of buds at the base. Remove a very thin slice of bark at the base of the cutting, rooting is improved if a rooting hormone is used. The rooted cuttings must show new growth during the summer before being potted up otherwise they are unlikely to survive the winter.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Of easy cultivation, it prefers a good moist well-drained soil[1] in a sunny position but tolerates some shade[1][9]. Does well on chalky soils, tolerating a pH as high as 8, but becoming a shrub in such conditions[7]. Does not thrive in soils with a pH much below 6[7]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Tolerates atmospheric pollution[9]. Growth is fast once the trees are established, but this later slows down and trees take about 50 years to reach maturity[7]. Frequently found as a shrub in light woodland, especially under oak. It is one of the first trees to colonize chalk grassland[7]. The field maple is a bad companion plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants[6][8]. A good bee plant[12]. This species has often been coppiced in the past for its wood[5]. Trees produce seed in about 10 years from sowing[14].

References

  1. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  2. Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009

    ↩

  3. Johnson. C. P. The Useful Plants of Great Britain.

    ↩1↩2↩3

  4. Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-600-33545-3

    ↩

  5. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  6. Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants. Watkins 1979-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  7. Beckett. G. and K. Planting Native Trees and Shrubs. Jarrold 1979-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  8. Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. 1978-00-00 ISBN 0-88266-064-0

    ↩1↩2

  9. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3

  10. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  11. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

  12. Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-356-10541-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  13. McMillan-Browse. P. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-901361-21-6

    ↩

  14. Gordon. A. G. and Rowe. D. C. f. Seed Manual for Ornamental Trees and Shrubs.

    ↩

  15. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin ISBN 0-14-046-440-9 (1984-00-00)

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