A tree with 🌳︎ broadleaves arranged ╫ opposite, blade division=🍁︎ simple, margin=♧ lobed, 3–7 main leaf veins radiating from 🍁︎ one point (🖐 palmate), sinuses=∪ rounded (U-shaped), base=___ straight, wider than long, and leaf stem injury exudes white milky juice.

Part of 🍁︎ maple  genus Acer in soapberry  family Sapindaceae in cashew / 🌰︎ chestnut / 🍊︎ citrus / 🍁︎ maple  order Sapindales.

Native to 🇪🇺 Europe and western Asia.   🗺 Map by county (🇺🇸 USA-48) (color key), 🗺 map (eastern 🇺🇸 USA).   Invasive > learn+quiz Invasive > 🌐︎ global Invasive > 🌐︎ various Invasive > 🇨🇦 🇺🇸 Canada+USA Invasive > report it! Invasive > 🇺🇸 USA Invasive > Michigan   Nice drawing.  Adobe Acrobat Reader file (page 40)

Uses by native peoples
(Ethnobotany database)
  On No-Planting List by Seneca Nation of Indians SNI.  Adobe Acrobat Reader file (pages 58 and 60)

Ötzi the Iceman carried a container with freshly-picked leaves of this plant 🇳🇴 🍁︎ Norway maple  Acer platanoides, presumed to have been used to insulate 🔥︎ burning charcoal embers. [1]

For more about Ötzi:


This plant is known to be a host for (in areas where invasive) 🐝︎ spotted lanternfly (SLF)  Lycorma delicatula.

Plant nurseries have created many cultivars of Norway maple, selecting for distinctive leaf shapes or colorations.  For many varieties, during the first month of the growing season, the leaves are burgundy.  Two of our authors have a 🇳🇴 🍁︎ Norway maple  Acer platanoides 'Schwedleri' or 'Crimson King', which gives very nice color. [2]

🇨🇦 🇺🇸 🇲🇽 In North America, often planted in new housing developments, one in each front yard, due to its excellent ⛱ shade (which stays into 🍃︎ autumn), and nothing eats it.  Unfortunately, it does not turn the pretty reds and yellows and oranges of the native maple trees.  And it fails to feed the population of local native 🐞︎🐛︎🐜︎🐝︎ insects, so your yard is relatively sterile!

Treatment methods and timing (40–45°N lat.)  Adobe Acrobat Reader file Control and Alternatives (Maryland).  Adobe Acrobat Reader file (page 3)

Native alternatives (Great Lakes green entries)  Adobe Acrobat Reader file (page 4) Native alternatives (Missouri Botanical Garden) Native alternatives (Pennsylvania)  Adobe Acrobat Reader file (page 4) Native alternatives (Brooklyn Botanic Garden).

References

[1]  "Ötzi the Iceman" page "Equipment" section "Birch-bark containers."  South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology.  .   Accessed .

[2]  Marked as two varieties?  And not native to our location.  Hard to chase down, and nothing we can do short of cutting it down — was planted by a previous owner.

Learn more about 🇳🇴 🍁︎ Norway maple Acer platanoides

🔍︎ 🔍︎ images Discover Life Encyclopedia of Life Michigan Flora (Minnesota) Wildflower Garden Minnesota Wildflowers Missouri Botanical Garden USDA PLANTS db USFS Wikipedia