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Sapindaceae
Acer platanoides
Specimen Size: 44ft tall, 15.25in in diameter.
Location: Southeast of Kane Hall up against its back patio on the Suzzallo Library side of the building.
Historical Background: Norway maple was introduced to the United States in the mid 1700s from England as an ornamental species. Norway maple admirably combines requisite size, strength, thriftiness, and ease of propagation. It also varies easily, so the nursery trade has developed mushroom-shaped dwarfs, columnar sentries, ovals, purple-leaved cultivars, and even cut-leaved varieties. No, it isn't as stirring in silhouetted beauty or as enchanting in fall color as the sugar maple, but it is a better choice for less-than-ideal sites because of its tolerance to a wide range of environmental conditions. However, this maple has one unfortunate characteristic: it releases chemicals underground that discourage anything else from growing underneath it, and this tends to cause bare muddy run-off conditions beneath the crown. It is considered an invasive species in some states because of this characteristic.
Non-native
Native Range: Europe from Norway to Turkey
Identifying Features: Another member of the large genus Acer, this species generally exhibits a dense rounded crown of a dull-green color. Veins are sunken into these 5-lobed palmate leaves, and are a paler color than the surrounding green. When the long slender leaf stalks are broken off they reveal milky sap. Bark is grey to brown and furrows with age, and the seeds are the distinctive winged pairs, flattened widely near 180 degrees. It is fast growing and tolerant of pollution.
Identifying Features In Depth:
Form: A shade tree, with dense foliage in a rounded crown to a height of 60’ (18m). The diameter of the trunk can reach 2’ (0.6m).
Leaves: Palmate and growing oppositely, with 5 shallow lobes and 5-7 main veins stemming from the notched base. They are 4-7” (10-18cm) long and wide, a dull green color with even lighter veins and undersides. In autumn they turn a bright yellow. The leafstalk is long and when broken releases a milky sap.
Bark: Gray to brown, growing rougher with age and furrowing into narrow tight ridges. Twigs are brown and hairless in nature.
Reproductive Bodies: Flowers are tiny, 18mm wide, with 5 petals of greenish yellow color. They grow in upright spreading cluster which give rise to long paired keys, winged seeds flattened to almost 180 degrees. Male and female flowers are generally on separate trees. The winged seed pairs hang on a long stalk, brown in summer and helicopter to the ground.
Native range of Acer platanoides, compiled by Maria Carón.
Below is the description found for this species on the original Brockman Memorial Tree Tour:
Historic Tree Tour Information: Norway Maples by Kane Hall face the Suzzallo Library. Few species are more widely planted as urban street-trees; every major temperate city where the climate allows displays Norway maple in its downtown area. This may also be because it tolerates pollution well. Norway maple admirably combines requisite size, strength, thriftiness, and ease of propagation. It also varies easily, so the nursery trade has developed mushroom-shaped dwarfs, columnar sentries, ovals, purple-leaved cultivars, and even cut-leaved varieties. No, it isn't as stirring in silhouetted beauty or as enchanting in fall color as Sugar Maple, but it is a better choice for less-than-ideal sites. The grey-brown and shallowly grooved trunk is quite similar to that of Seattle's native bigleaf maple, but the leaf is not as large or deeply cut, and the seeds spread their wings wider and have no bristly hairs.
It leafs out earlier than other maples and tends to hold onto its leaves for longer in the autumn. A rose colored dye can be obtained from the bark. Unlike most other maples, this one does not develop shaggy bark at maturity. The petiole, the stalk of the leaf, is 3 to 8 inches (8 to 20 centimeters) long and secretes a milky juice when broken. Norway maple has one unfortunate characteristic: it releases chemicals underground that discourage anything else from growing underneath it, and this tends to cause bare muddy run-off conditions beneath the crown. It is considered an invasive species in some states because of this characteristic.
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