Columnar Norway Maple

Botanical Name: Acer platanoides ‘Columnare’

The Columnar Norway Maple (Acer platanoides ‘Columnare’) is a deciduous medium-sized tree from Northern Europe. It has an attractive and useful columnar shape, perfect for foundation planting or to line pathways. It has short, densely arranged branches that radiate out from its sturdy, upright trunk.

The leaves have 5 to 7 lobes that unfurl in the spring with a brown-red tinge and then mature to an attractive, deep green color.  This persists throughout the summer and then turns to bright yellow for a bright fall display. A profusion of tiny, yellow-green flowers develop in April before the tree leafs out. They cover the twigs, attracting bees and butterflies. The blooms are followed by winged samaras, which grow to a size of one or one and a half inches.

Like other cultivars of Acer platanoides, this tree is hardy and adaptable to different conditions. It is also tolerant of pollution, heat, and limited root space, and therefore a great tree for urban settings. However, it is not tolerant of coastal wind and salt spray. Its columnar shape makes the Columnar Norway Maple a great choice to line driveways and narrow roadways.

This tree is also adaptable to different soil types and a range of pH and can therefore be used in many garden or city settings, although it does have a preference for good drainage and rich soil.