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Acer platanoides : The Norway Maple
But when it is a matter of baobabs, that always means a catastrophe.-The Little Prince
The image of three trees engulfing
a planet is wild and unthinkable,
but a scenario that is not that
different is happening. Hundreds
of invasive plants are taking over the globe.
One of them, The Norway Maple, is much
like the baobab. It seems to be a benign
shade tree but it easily out-competes
Appearance:
Height:
Reproduction:
Native region:
Common uses:
Common pests:
almost any species. Ignore it and
it will spread and take over the
environment, much like the
baobab took over this small
planet. Here is some information
about The Norway Maple, the problems
it poses and what is being done about
it, after all, we don’t want a planet
looking like this…
The leaves have five lobes and give a milky sap when broken.
The crown is twiggy and gives dense shade. Has a greenish
lower. Spread can be greater than height in open areas.
40-50 feet, can be up to 90
Wind born seeds called samaras, vegetative
Europe and West Asia
Shade trees, street trees, ornamentals
Verticillium wilt, anthracnose, leaf scorch
The Problems:
Lack of information- Although ecologists and regulatory firms are increasingly recognizing The
Norway Maple as an invasive species the general public does not know. It was originally
introduced and sold as a street and shade tree, and later several attractive cultivars were
developed making it a popular tree for human use. Today nurseries still sell The Norway Maple
and its cultivars widely without stressing the importance of proper management for the tree.
Accordingly it is still planted as a shade tree and migrates from there into neighboring
ecosystems. Human aid and cultivation has exacerbated the problem.
Strong competitor- The Norway Maples a successful competitor and is often able to beat out
local flora. It casts a dense shade under which very few plants can survive. Its saplings can
survive in dense shade and grow more quickly in sun. It can tolerate a
wide range of soil pHs and types, and is highly pollution tolerant, giving
it an added edge in urban environments. It also has a milky substance in
its leaves which deters insects from eating it.
Reproductive Methods- The Norway Maple, like any plant, can reproduce
sexually or vegitatively. In sexual reproduction it produces wind-born
seeds which are easily spread and hard to contain. Animals also assist in
the dispersal of these seeds. A The Norway Maple that has been cut reproduce vegitatively, sending
up sprouts, a kind of life after death. It is hard to handle the volume of sprouts that may come up
from the root system of a cut tree. With its method of reproduction The Norway Maple is easily
spread to new ecosystems that cannot handle it.
With its tendency to suppress other plants and its ability to heavily
seed an area The Norway Maple threatens to turn diverse
ecosystems into homogenous, densely shaded stands.
Control:
It is too late to try to stop The Norway Maple from invading, it did so
long ago. The task at hand is to slow or even stop the invasion. Several large scale methods are
effective in accomplishing this. Norway Maples are commonly girdled to kill them and prevent
sprouting. Girdling kills both the crown and the root. It is a process in which the cambium (living
tissue) is severed in the trunk, stopping the transfer of water and nutrients. Its benefits are that it is
effective when used on Norway Maples and it involves neither bio nor chemical control (both of
which have undesirable side effects). In addition to girdling trees can be treated with herbicide
(either foliage or root), cut burned in a controlled burn, pulled as saplings, or any combination of
these measures.
What You Can Do:
The Norway Maple is not an evil or innocuous plant, it just doesn’t
belong in the North American ecosystem. The best thing you can do
is refrain from purchasing or planting one If you want a Maple
consider a native tree like the Sugar Maple, or the Red Maple. Native
trees will be better for the environment and better for your landscape.
If you happen to already have one and do not wish to remove it steps can be taken to limit its spread
to the ecosystem. Rake the fallen seeds and prune the attached ones and mulch them of dispose of
them so they cannot germinate. Finally, spread the word, inform others of the problems with The
Norway Maple.
Some states have formally identifies The Norway Maple as a very invasive species,
some have classified it as a potentially invasive species and some have not
recognized it yet. It has demonstrated its invasive capabilities, however and steps
should be taken anywhere it is not native to ensure it does not get a foothold in
more states. The key is information.
Sources:
Acer platanoides. http://bluehen.ags.udel.edu/udbg/trees/descriptions/a_platanoides.html
Acer platanoides cultivation notes. http://www.gardenbed.com/a/57.cfm
Control of Invasive non-native plants. http://www.mdflora.org/publications/invasives.htm
Norway Maple. http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/envirohort/factsheets/trees/normapl.html
Welcome to my little asteroid. http://www.inteligente.com/b612/yes.htm