Charismatic maple trees are highly favored by gardeners thanks to their breathtaking fall color. Less well known is the magnificent symphony of flowers with which some maple species ring in spring. You can find out which maple tree stands out here.
What does the maple tree look like in spring?
In spring, the Norway maple (Acer platanoides) impresses with lemon-yellow flower umbels and a subtle, pleasant smell that is reminiscent of fresh fruit. The flowers are popular with bees and butterflies and appear before the green leaves emerge.
Norway maple inspires with fragrant spring blossoms
Native Norway maple (Acer platanoides) keeps its leaves under wraps while its flowers are on display in April and May. Below we have put together for you what makes the widespread maple tree special in spring:
- Lemon yellow flower umbels, composed of countless stars
- Subtle pleasant smell reminiscent of fresh fruit
- Swarmed by busy bees and butterflies collecting nectar and pollen
All other native maple species produce flowers and leaves at the same time. Given the large leaf shapes, the smaller flowers have to be hidden visually and only catch the eye of attentive observers.
Norway maple varieties – spring blossoms for the small garden
With its enormous dimensions, the pure species of Norway maple goes beyond all dimensions in a small garden. Gardeners with limited space don't have to miss out on the beautiful spectacle of spring blooms. Norway maple is the ancestor of successful varieties that remain at a smaller height and bloom just as picturesquely. The following overview presents recommended cultivars in more detail:
| Norway Maple Varieties | Growth height | Growth width | Flower color | Leaf coloring | special feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-edged Norway Maple Drummondii | 10 to 12 m | 7 to 9 m | light yellow | green with cream-white border | soft pink shoots |
| Blood Maple Faassens Black | 12 to 15 m | 8 to 10 m | shiny dark red | dark-purple-brown | light red shoots |
| Spherical Maple Globosum | 3 to 6 m | 2 to 5 m | yellow-green | light green | spherical crown |
| Gold Maple Princeton Gold | 6 to 10 m | 2 to 4 m | lemon yellow | golden yellow | reddish shoots |
| Pillar Blood Maple Crimson Sentry | 8 to 10 m | 3 to 4 m | shiny dark red | purple red to black red | yellow-orange autumn colors |
The undisputed favorite of this selection is the globe maple Globosum. Its compact growth coupled with a harmonious crown makes the Norway maple variety the ideal candidate for small gardens and front gardens to create a sensation from spring to winter.
Tip
The graceful flowers on the Norway maple are the prelude to the growth of showy, winged fruits in autumn. So that the seeds are distributed over a large area, maple fruits sail through the air like small helicopters. Children have fun with the nose pinchers. Resourceful home gardeners harvest the seeds for propagation.
