The high appreciation of maple species as house and avenue trees or hedge shrubs is based primarily on the furious autumn color of their shapely leaves. What is less known is what happens in the treetops during flowering. This information will familiarize you with interesting details about maple flowers.
When and how does the maple tree bloom?
The maple blossoms in spring, with native species such as Norway maple (April), sycamore maple (April/May) and field maple (May) producing yellowish-green inflorescences. Asian and North American species such as fire maple (May), slot maple (May/June), silver maple and red maple (spring) present more striking flower colors.
Maple blossom – subtle beauty in spring
If you, as a nature-loving gardener, are looking for beauty in the details, you will find it with the maple tree. Fragrant flowers appear long before the autumnal color spectacle of the leaves begins. Their subtle appearance belies the fact that maple flowers are among the most valuable sources of nectar and pollen in the garden. This is how the most popular maple species bloom:
- Norway maple (Acer platanoides): in April with yellowish-green, terminal panicles in front of the leaves
- Sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus): in April and May with yellow-green flower clusters, at the same time or after the leaves emerge
- Field maple (Acer campestre): in May with 10-20 flowering yellowish panicles in the leaves at the same time
Maple species that migrated to Europe produce a more conspicuous flower dress. Fire maple (Acer ginnala) scores in May with white-yellow, 4 to 6 cm wide clusters that smell seductive. Asian slot maple (Acer palmatum) and its magnificent varieties delight in May and June with 6-8 mm wide flowers in umbels. The contrasts between the cream-colored petals and the reddish sepals are beautiful to look at.
Red and silver maples usher in the flowering season
When local maple species are still in hibernation, the first yellowish-green to slightly reddish flowers are already sprouting on the North American silver maple (Acer saccharinum). A short time later, red maple (Acer rubrum) puts on its dark red flowers. The flowers gather in dense clusters on the sides of the branches, much to the delight of the first insects.
Tip
If the pretty, fragrant flowers of sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) are pollinated and withered, it becomes dangerous for horses and donkeys. The winged fruits contain the deadly neurotoxin hypoglycin A. Scientists at Utrecht University have been able to prove that the dreaded willow myopathy can be traced back to the consumption of sycamore maple seeds.
