Common names:  Field Maple and Hedge Maple 

Irish name: n/a 

Latin name:  Acer campestre  

Family:  Sapindaceae 

Origin: Native to Europe and western Asia 

Tree type: Deciduous broadleaf tree

How it looks

Shape, bark, twigs 

Acer campestre is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree with a rounded, dense form. Its bark is grey to pale brown and develops shallow longitudinal fissures as it ages. The twigs are greenish- to reddish-brown, becoming glabrous and often developing corky ridges. 

Buds 
Field maple buds are small and ovoid. They have four to six pairs of imbricate scales, which are brown in colour. These buds are typically found on the greenish- to reddish-brown branchlets of the tree. 

Leaves 
The leaves of the field maple (Acer campestre) are broadly pentagonal in outline with a cordate base, typically having five lobes with broad sinuses. In autumn, the leaves turn yellow. 

Flowers 
The flowering process of Acer campestre begins in spring, with small, greenish-yellow flowers emerging in clusters during April and May. These inconspicuous flowers appear simultaneously with the foliage, blending harmoniously into the tree's overall display

Where to find it

Field maple is native to a broad range of countries across Europe and western Asia, including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Turkey. There are conflicting opinions on whether field maple is native to Ireland; it has been suggested that it is likely an introduced species that has been present in Ireland for centuries. 

Cultural importance

History | Myth, Legend, Folklore 

 
History 
Based on pollen records and charcoal from archaeological sites, it has been suggested that the field maple did not appear in the UK until the Neolithic period and that, as a result, it may have been introduced by humans around this time. However, further evidence is needed to support this hypothesis. 

The name ‘maple’ is believed to come from the Old English word ‘mapultreow’, meaning ‘maple-tree’, which forms the root of English place names such as Maperton in Somerset, Mapledurham in Hampshire and Oxfordshire, and Mappowder in Dorset. It has also been suggested that the second part of the scientific name, ‘campestre’, which refers to the countryside, rusticity, and fields, originally comes from Italy, where the field maple was traditionally used to prop up grapevines. 

Field maple wood is strong, hard, and fine-grained. As a result, it has traditionally been used for carving, making furniture, inlays or veneers, domestic objects such as dishes, cups, and trays, and musical instruments such as lutes, harps, and violins. Indeed, in mediaeval England, it was used to make communal drinking bowls. As suggested by its other common name, ‘hedge maple’, it was also widely used as a hedgerow tree. In addition, it was used in traditional medicine. The seventeenth-century English herbalist Nicholas Culpepper maintained that the leaves and bark of field maple could be used to treat liver conditions. 

Historically, field maple also had symbolic significance in the language of flowers, where the flowers of the tree were sent to communicate caution or a sender’s reservations. 

Myth, Legend, and Folklore 

Traditionally, field maple is associated with qualities of protection, fertility, longevity, and luck. It was believed to ward off spirits and witchcraft. As a result, in some parts of Europe, it was thought that passing maple branches over children or carrying children through its branches would magically cleanse them of any witchcraft. Likewise, people hung branches of field maple over their doors to ward off bats, which were considered bad luck. 

Value to Wildlife

Acer campestre provides shelter and nesting sites for birds such as woodpeckers and nuthatches. The flowers are a source of nectar for pollinators and leaves serve as food for caterpillars of various moth species, supporting local biodiversity. 

Threats

Acer campestre is vulnerable to the fungus Cryptostroma corticale, the fungal disease Ceratocystis virescens, mildew caused by Unicinula bicornis and the Asian longhorn beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) native to countries such as Japan, Korea and China. Aphids such as Lymantria, Operophtera and Cossus, Xyleborus can also negatively affect it.  Overall, however, field maple has few serious health problems and is classified as "Least Concern" globally, reflecting its widespread distribution and adaptability.  

Uses

Field maple wood is used to make furniture, joinery and flooring, but is more commonly used for firewood and pulpwood. Additionally, the bark is still used in traditional medicine to treat sore eyes, high cholesterol and as an astringent.  

References

Crowley, D. 2020. Acer campestre. Trees and Shrubs Online.  https://www.treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/acer/acer-campestre/ 

Essex Gardens Trust. 2020. Field Maple (Acer campestre), Essex Gardens Trust. Essex Gardens Trust Essex Gardens Trust 

Flora of Northern Ireland. n.d. Acer campestre L. - Field Maple - Aceraceae. Flora of Northern Ireland. Acer campestre - Field Maple : Flora of Northern Ireland 

Forbes, R. n.d. Acer campestre L., Field Maple, Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland. Fermanagh Species Accounts. BSBI: Acer campestre  

Missouri Botanical Garden. n.d. Acer campestre. Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder.  https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=275376 

Royal Horticultural Society. n.d. Acer campestre. Royal Horticultural Society. https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/166/acer-campestre/details 

Sidmouth Nature. n.d. Field Maple: The Quiet Guardian of Woodlands and Hedgerows, Sidmouth Nature. https://www.sidmouth-nature.uk/library-detail/Field%20Maple  

The Heart of England Forest. n.d. Field Maple, The Heart of England Forest. Field maple | Heart of England Forest 

Ulster Wildlife. n.d. Field maple, Ulster Wildlife. Field maple | Ulster Wildlife 

University of Salford. N.d. Field Maple, Salford Tree Trail, University of Salford. Field maple | University of Salford 

Woodland Trust. n.d. Maple, field (Acer campestre), Woodland Trust. Field Maple (Acer campestre) - British Trees - Woodland Trust 

Zecchin B., Caudullo, G., and de Rigo, D. 2016. Acer campestre in Europe: distribution, habitat, usage and threats. In: San-Miguel Ayanz, J., de Rigo, D., Caudullo, G., Houston Durrant, T., Mauri, A. (Eds.), European Atlas of Forest Tree Species. Publ. Off. EU, Luxembourg, e012c65+. Acer_campestre.pdf