How do you recognize which species?

Sycamore, Norway and field maple - unmistakable leaf shapes

The three most common maple species in our forests are well known to us thanks to their spectacular autumn colors. Sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus), Norway maple (Acer platanoides) and field maple (Acer campestre) can be clearly distinguished from one another on the basis of characteristic leaf shapes:

• Sycamore maple: 5-lobed, serrated leaf margin, dark green on top, gray-green underneath, 20 cm long, 15 cm wide
• Norway maple: 5- to 7-lobed, protruding tips, up to 18 cm long, extra long petiole, smooth leaf edge (never sawn)
• Field maple: double-lobed, green, 3 to 5-lobed, smooth leaf margin, velvety hairy underneath

European maple species have passed their beautiful leaves on to the resulting varieties. So can the popular Ball maple Globosum does not deny the Norway maple as the progenitor. The yellow speckles on the foliage of the Leopoldii variety do not yet reveal its parentage. The 5-lobed hand shape of the leaves reveals beyond any doubt that the sycamore maple was the inspiration here.

Slotted leaves reveal Asian maple species

Asian maple species are very popular because they thrive less expansively than their European counterparts. The many varieties are characterized by deeply slit leaves made up of 5 to 11 pointed lobes. The foliage is serrated at the edge, which rules out any confusion with European maple trees.

Closer inspection requires the identification of the Japanese maple, whose compact varieties are in the bucket Set the scene on the balcony and terrace. The leaves are 5-lobed and curved, which complicates the distinction from native maple species. The decisive distinguishing feature is the red petiole, which clears all doubts out of the way.