Norway Maple
Acer platanoides · Deciduous Broadleaf Hardwood
Plant Family
Sapindaceae
Tree Category
Shade Tree / Ornamental Street Tree
Variety / Cultivar
'Crimson King' or similar purple-leaf cultivar
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 4 through 7, tolerating a wide range of urban stresses and variable winter temperatures.
About This Tree
A medium to large deciduous tree with a dense, rounded, and spreading crown. Known for casting dense shade and retaining its dark purple-to-maroon leaf coloration throughout the growing season.
Leaf Characteristics
Simple, palmately lobed leaves with 5 distinct points, 4 to 7 inches across, featuring milky sap in the petioles, opposite arrangement, and a deep reddish-purple or maroon color.
Bark Characteristics
Dark gray to blackish bark with shallow, regular interlacing ridges and furrows that become slightly ridged and firmer with age.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to Eastern and Central Europe and Southwest Asia; widely naturalized and planted globally.
Growing Season
Spring leaf-out with deep purple/maroon foliage, yellow-green flowers in spring before leaves fully expand, winged samaras in late summer, followed by dormancy in late autumn.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Thrives in full sun to partial shade; moderate water needs with good drought tolerance once established, preferring well-drained loamy soils.
Mature Size
Reaches a height of 40 to 60 feet with a similar spread of 40 to 60 feet; moderate growth rate with a lifespan of 60 to over 100 years.
Special Characteristics
Exceptional urban pollution and compaction tolerance, highly ornamental deep purple summer foliage, though considered invasive in certain regions.
Wildlife & Ecology
Provides modest habitat and nesting sites for songbirds; squirrels and other small mammals feed on the winged seeds (samaras).