Acer campestre (field maple)

Acer campestre leaves

Leaf type: Lobed, with three to five lobes
Leaf margin: Smooth
Phyllotaxis: Opposite
Colour: Green
Life cycle: Deciduous tree or shrub

Leaf (upper side)

leaves Acer campestre
Leaves of a young field maple in April. On the right are the leaves of a Norway maple (Acer platanoides).

Growth habit & biology

Acer campestre is a deciduous shrub or tree that can reach heights of up to 15 meters.

The leaves, which are three- to five-lobed and arranged oppositely, reach a maximum width of ten centimeters. The leaf margin is smooth.

Acer campestre growth habit
Habitus of a young field maple after a stormy night. The broken leaves are from an ivy (Hedera helix).

Distribution & habitates

Its natural range includes most European countries, Western Asia, and North Africa. As an ornamental plant, Acer campestre has also been introduced to other regions and grows wild in North America, among other places (map).

Acer campestre hedge
Acer campestre used as a hedge.

Its natural habitats include forests, forest edges, and the edges of thickets. Acer campestre is used as an ornamental plant in parks and gardens or planted as a hedge. In urban areas, it can be found along roadsides, on walls, and on stairways.

Acer campestre on wall
Acer campestre can cope with suboptimal growing conditions. This specimen is growing between a streetside electrical box and a wall.

Acer campestre fence

Botany

Acer campestre belongs to the soapberry family (Sapindaceae) and is classified within the subfamily Hippocastanoideae. Its common names include field maple, hedge maple, and common maple.

Predators

Erannis defoliaria on Acer campestre

Among the herbivores that feed on Acer campestre are the caterpillars of the mottled umber moth (Erannis defoliaria), which can be seen on its leaves from April onwards. They feed on its leaves and buds.