Leaves & needles
Five pointed lobes with a few long teeth; leaf stalks contain milky sap.
IntroducedDeciduousTypical height 15–25 m
Norway maple
Acer platanoides
A planted maple with sharply pointed lobes and often vivid autumn colour.
THROUGH THE YEAR
Norway maple through the seasons
Dense rounded crown; leaf colour varies with cultivar.
Often yellow, sometimes orange or red.
A rounded branch outline with opposite reddish buds.
Typical open-grown form. Leaf fall varies with weather and location; young or clipped trees may retain dead leaves. Pruned, sheltered and young trees can look different.
LOOK A LITTLE CLOSER
How to identify norway maple
Bark
Grey bark with fine, lengthwise ridges.
Twigs
Slender brown twigs with small pale spots and opposite branches.
Buds
Opposite buds, commonly reddish-brown with green visible in the scales.
Flowers & pollen
Yellow-green clusters open in spring, often before the leaves fully expand.
Fruit, seeds & cones
Paired winged seeds spread at a wide, almost horizontal angle.
Images show typical features and are not to scale. Confirm several features using the reference sources below.
CARE WITH PURPOSE
Caring for norway maple
Help it thrive
Provide space for a broad canopy. Suitable for many well-drained soils; water during establishment and keep mulch away from the trunk.
Pruning advice
Keep a clear, well-spaced branch framework. Remove small crossing branches selectively rather than shortening the whole canopy.
When can it be pruned?
November–January while dormant; late summer is an alternative
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Highlighted months are an indicative window for the work described, not a reason to prune every year. An unshaded month is not an absolute ban.
Timing must suit the tree's health, weather, wildlife and legal protection. Avoid severe frost, drought and vulnerable new leaf growth. Mature trees, major branches and suspected defects need professional assessment.
Tree health: what to watch for
Cultivars may have purple leaves, so colour alone is unreliable.
Identification & care references
Guide researched November 2026. Identification remains provisional until several features agree. UK native means native in some part of the UK, not necessarily your area.
Before work in England, check tree preservation orders, conservation-area restrictions and wildlife protection. Official tree protection guidance ↗