Image sourced from Flickr/James St. John
There are many species of maples, but one of the most popular in temperate climates is the Acer platanoides. It is so beautiful, and also so large, that one of the common names for it is royal maple.
It really is fantastic. At any time of the year it beautifies the garden in an incredible way, although it is in autumn when it shows its best color. What's more, withstands frost without any problem.
What is the origin and characteristics of the Acer platanoides?
Image sourced from Wikimedia/Willow
El Acer platanoides It is a deciduous tree that is known as royal maple, Norway maple, or platanoid maple. It is found in much of the European continent, from the north of Spain (Pyrenees), the Caucasus and reaches Asia Minor. Its maximum height once it reaches adulthood is 35 meters; by then its trunk will have thickened by about 60 centimeters. Its bark is smooth and light gray in color.
If we talk about the leaves, like those of all maples, they are palmate and serrated.. Those of our protagonist are green in spring and summer, and yellow or reddish in autumn. However, there are cultivars, such as the Acer platanoides 'Crimson King', which have red-purples.
On the other hand, the flowers are yellowish-green and are grouped in panicles. They sprout in spring, shortly before or shortly after the leaves do. And its fruits are double samaras (disámaras), composed of two seeds that are attached to a wing each, and both are in turn joined by one end of the seed.
Their life expectancy is about 200 years.
What uses is it given?
Image sourced from Wikimedia/Jean-Pol GRANDMONT
the royal maple used as an ornamental plant. It provides a lot of shade, which is appreciated when the summer is very hot. In addition, it is highly appreciated in the world of bonsai.
On the other hand, its wood is useful and can be used for the manufacture of furniture.
What care should be given to Acer platanoides?
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- Image sourced from Wikimedia/Włodzimierz Wysocki
The first thing you have to know is that it is a tree that needs a lot of space to be able to develop. Because, it is highly recommended that it be planted at a distance of 8 meters or more from walls, floors that are paved and from the pool. Likewise, it is important that the land in which it grows is fertile and fresh. It does not care if it is acidic or alkaline, but it will not be able to grow in poor or eroded soils, nor in those compact ones that have a hard time draining water.
You have to water it frequently, as it does not resist long-lasting dry periods. In fact, if you choose to have it in a pot during its youth, the ideal is to water it so that the substrate does not dry out completely; And if you have it planted in the ground, the same thing: water it several times a week during the summer so that it does not dry out. Fertilize it in spring and until the end of summer with fertilizers such as guano, more or less every 15 days, although that will depend on what the product packaging indicates.
the royal maple multiplies by seeds in winter, cuttings in spring and cultivars by bud grafting in mid or late summer.
Otherwise, it resists frost down to -18ºC.