Image - Wikimedia / Salicyna
Surely you know or have heard of the maples they have in Asia, such as the Acer palmatum (Japanese maple) or the Acer shirasawanum. These two species are great to grow in temperate gardens, but… did you know that there are others that are even better?
European maples are trees that can also greatly beautify a place. In addition, there are many that in autumn turn yellow, orange or reddish before dropping their leaves. Do you want to know them?
Selection of European maples
What are the maples that we have in Europe? Well, there are several, and they all have their charm. Then you will be able to discover not only their names, but also their characteristics. Enjoy it:
country maple
Image - Wikimedia / Rosenzweig
El country maple is a deciduous tree known as minor maple, wild maple, or country maple. Reaches an approximate height of 10 meters, and develops a trunk more or less straight and highly branched from a low height whose bark is brown. The leaves are palmately composed of 3 or 5 lobes of glaucous color with the underside somewhat tomentose.
It grows wild in Europe and in parts of North Africa. In Spain we have it in the Pyrenees and in the forests of the eastern peninsula; isolated by the rest of the peninsula except in Andalusia, which is not found. Resists up to -18ºC.
Acer monspessulanum
Image - Wikimedia / Jebulon
El Acer monspessulanum it is a deciduous tree known as Montpellier maple. It grows up to 15 meters in height, and its trunk is straight, thick until it measures 75 centimeters in diameter. The leaves are trilobed, composed of dark green lobes.
It lives in the Mediterranean region, from France and Germany, to Turkey, passing through Morocco. It supports well up to -18ºC.
acer opalus
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- Image - Flickr / Joan Simon
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- Image - Wikimedia / Line1
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- Image - Wikimedia / Salicyna
El acer opalus, known as orón or asar, is a deciduous tree that it can reach 20 meters in height. Its leaves are lobed, bright green, and sprout from branches that form a rounded crown, branching short of the ground.
It lives in the mountain forests found from Italy to Spain, through southern Germany and northwestern Africa. Resists up to -18ºC.
Acer garnatense
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- Image - Wikimedia / Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz
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- Image - Wikimedia / Qgroom
El Acer garnatense, whose full scientific name is Acer opalus subsp. garnet, is a variety of acer opalus. Unlike a.opalus, this one has slightly smaller leaves and its height is also lower: the normal thing is that it grows a maximum of 10 meters, but depending on the area where it has germinated it grows less. It also supports frosts down to -18ºC.
It is a variety that lives in the mountains of the Iberian Peninsula, in the north of Mallorca and in North Africa.
Acer platanoides
Image - Bruns.de
El Acer platanoides, known as royal maple or platanoid maple, is a tree that reaches 35 meters in height. Its trunk is quite thick once mature, about 1 meter in diameter, and has a gray bark. The leaves are palmately lobed, green or purple depending on the variety, and sprout from a rounded crown.
It grows in Europe, often forming part of other forests, such as beech trees for example. In Spain we only find it in the Pyrenees. Resists up to -18ºC.
Acer pseudoplatanus
Image - Wikimedia / Willow
El Acer pseudoplatanus is a deciduous tree known as sycamore, white maple or false banana that reaches 30 meters in height. Its crown is highly branched, and is open as well as leafy. The leaves are made up of five toothed lobes, which are green in color.
We find it in central and southern Europe, including Spain. Of course, in this country it grows in the Pyrenees and in the Cantabrian region.
Acer sempervirens
Image - Wikimedia / Lathiot
El Acer sempervirens, known as Cretan maple, is an evergreen tree that rarely exceeds 10 meters in height. Its trunk measures up to 50 centimeters in diameter, and its bark is dark gray. The leaves are small, simple or composed of three green lobes.
It grows in southwestern Europe, and in southwestern Asia, making it one of those that best withstands drought and high temperatures. Resists up to -18ºC.
General care of European maples
To finish, you will be able to know the care they need:
- Location: they are trees that must be kept outside, always. They all resist frost, so for example in Spain it is rare for them to have problems in that regard. What can happen is that they suffer from the heat if they are in the Mediterranean, so if they live in this region I recommend the Acer garnatense or Acer sempervirens, because they will grow better than the others.
- Earth: all require nutritious, light and deep soils. Those that support limestone are the ones I just mentioned (A. garnatense y A. sempervirens).
They can be kept in a pot for a few years, with mulch or substrate for acidic plants. - Irrigation: they do not resist drought, so they should be watered frequently in summer so that they do not dry out. In winter they will be watered less, especially if it rains.
- Subscriber: must be paid in spring and summer with cow manure or mulch.
- Pruning: we do not recommend pruning them, as they lose their natural charm.
- Transplant: in spring, when the buds begin to sprout.
What do you think of these European maples?