Norway Maple

## Description

A common tree in Connecticut, the Norway Maple is one of the fastest maple trees that grow here. As its name implies, the Norway Maple is native of Europe, and parts on Central Asia.

The Norway maple can grow 3-5' per year, it first few years, if under the right conditions. Otherwise these trees typically grow 2-3' per year. They gradually slow down with age. It can take 5-7 years to become mature.

Mature trees can grow to big sizes and live a long time. These seeds have a very high germination rate, which along with its fast growth, it can quickly outgrow native competition and retard further growth of other species around it. It has for these reasons been deemed an Invasive Species.

Norway Maple is a colonizer, which means it can form dense groups of trees. They grow almost anywhere, from under houses to between sidewalk cracks. Pull them up early, as they grow very quick.

Wood is very weak, and tend to be the one tree that drops the most branches. Therfore, it doesn't make the best street tree, but if your planting in a park, this tree will do pretty good.

This tree has a very shallow root system, that often interferes with sidewalks, roads, and foundations of buildings. The roots grow only inches to down to a few feet below the surface of the ground. This ables the roots to push the ground and structures like sidewalks up with it. With huge storms, this is a pretty good reason why it commonly may uproot.

Leaves are pretty big, bigger than all our other maples, growing several inches long. Probly double the size of Sugar Maple. The leaf buds are more rounded while Sugar's buds are more spear shaped. Buds turn purple in winter. Buds will erupt by the end of April. Yellow green flowers in big clusters emerge first, and leaves follow a few days later. Seed pods emerge in the summer, but like most maples, fruit doesn't mature until almost winter. High germination will result in many seedling trees the following spring.

Norway Maple has been on a decline here in this part of the state. Many trees are either cut down, or get a disease of some kind. The tree slowly looses it leaves and year after year, more and more branches die. Eventually, it'll die completely. I'm not sure what this disease is, but I'll find out one day. Since im talking about diseases, Norway's are also susceptible to root rot, leaf blight, tar spot, and gloomy scale. All of the above diseases except tar spot can result in a tree's death. A large number of these trees have been removed in recent years and replaced with the native Red Maple. Another great idea for a native replacement is a Silver Maple, Red or Pin Oak.

(I will get winter bud pictures very soon, likely by the end of February. I will get leaf and hopefully flower pictures of my own in spring. I have two young Norway's, and one big one at our park. We have plenty scattered around town.)

## Quick Stats.

**Height-** 50-100'. Equal Spread. Typically a rounded crown.

**Leaves**- Rather large and pointy. Deciduous, turning yellow, or a beautiful orange in ideal falls. Succeptable to Tar Spot.

**Flowers** in Spring. Green or yellow green clusters.

**Fruits** are samaras, quite large for a maple.

**Capable of living** 200+ years in IDEAL Conditions. Less ideal conditions may yield likely 100-170 years.

**Full Sun to Mostly Shade.**

**Growth-** 1-3 feet or more per year.

**Invasive Likliness-** Moderate. High seed germination rate. Likely 50-75% of seeds may germinate from a mature tree. Highest rates are within 200' of the parent tree. They can easily be controlled by mowing and pulling. Bigger trees can be cut.

### Common Subspecies, Cultivars, Variety’s

Delcore’s Norway Maple- Has red buds that open to have red bracts in April.

Crimson King Norway Maple- Has red spring and fall foliage.