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Norway maple

Acer platanoidesSapindaceaeTree

A large maple whose acid-yellow flowers open in April before the leaves, colouring whole streets and giving one of the most substantial early nectar flows available to bees in a European town. It is planted extensively as a street tree, which makes it a significant urban forage source that nobody planted for that purpose.

Where not to plant it

Invasive across eastern North America, where it seeds prolifically, casts dense shade and displaces native maples and woodland understorey. It is banned or restricted in several states and provinces.

Value to bees

Nectar
High
Pollen
High
As a honey crop
Minor honey crop — a surplus only locally or occasionally
Which bees, and why
The flowers are small, open and borne in flat clusters, which makes them accessible to short-tongued bees of every kind. It is a substantial early colony-building resource in cities.
Worth knowing
An excellent early nectar and pollen source, and one of the more significant urban resources in European towns.

Flowering

In flower
April to May (northern hemisphere)

An early flow of two to three weeks, before the leaves emerge.

When nectar flows
Generous. A mature street of Norway maples in flower is audibly loud with bees and gives a real early boost to urban colonies.

Growing it

Conditions
Sun or part shade on almost any soil, and tolerant of urban conditions, compaction and pollution.
Size
20-30 m tall with a broad rounded crown.
Native range
Continental Europe and western Asia. Planted very widely as a street tree, and invasive in eastern North America.
Suits
Large gardens
  • Too large for most gardens; the smaller cultivars are the practical option.
  • Casts dense shade and roots shallowly, which makes underplanting difficult.
  • Invasive in eastern North America, where it displaces native sugar maple — do not plant it there.

What it looks like

A large tree with broad five-lobed leaves and conspicuous flat clusters of acid-yellow-green flowers appearing before the leaves, followed by paired winged seeds set almost horizontally.

Sources

  • Field Guide to the Bees of Great Britain and Ireland — Bloomsbury (2015) · Field guide
  • HoneyHQ editorial synthesis — HEKNO Ltd · HoneyHQ synthesis

How sources are selected and weighted is set out in the sources and evidence policy.

Guides covering this plant

Tools for planning planting

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