Acer campestre

Acer campestre, commonly known as Field Maple, is a useful small to medium-sized tree which is native to England. Interestingly, in the Middle Ages, it was used for making musical instruments. It has gnarly bark which develops as it matures and in the autumn, the leaves turn yellow, orange and golden brown.

Acer campestre is tolerant of most soil types, although it does do best in rich, well-drained soils. As with many of the native trees, it is a tough contender and will tolerate drought, air pollution and soil compaction.

The Field Maple, Acer campestre, is widely used throughout the UK as a hedgerow plant and as such will tolerate regular pruning during the winter period to keep it in shape. It has good ecological qualities making it useful to wildlife. Barcham produces several other cultivars of the Field Maple which are more regular in crown shape such as Acer campestre Elsrijk, Queen Elizabeth and Louisa Redshine which should be selected if you are looking for uniformity in your project with little maintenance.

This tree is extremely versatile; it makes a nice rounded tree for parklands, but can also be a welcome addition to suburban gardens. If you are looking for a native, medium-sized tree, with a little more in the way of ornamental qualities, check out the Acer campestre Louisa Redshine.

Mature height 7-12m