Acer campestre

Hedge maple is a slow growing shrub or small tree in the Sapindaceae (soapberry) family native to Europe and western Asia.  With a rounded mature habit reaching 35 feet tall and wide this plant will take considerable pruning, perhaps why it is given the common name hedge maple. 

Plant in rich,well-drained soils in full to partial shade. 

While the fall color is yellow, it is not consistent. It is easy to transplant but has a shallow root system. Very tolerant of air pollution, alkaline, clay, dry, and compacted soils. 

It is a good street tree that casts dense shade and works well under utility lines because it can be severely pruned. This tree supports pollinators and birds and makes an excellent shade tree for a pollinator garden or a recreational play area.  It can also be pruned into a screening hedge.  It produces many seeds and has the potential to become weedy.

Quick ID Hints:

• Leaves simple, 3-5 palmately lobed
• Leaf margin entire
• Leaves concolorous, pubescent below
• Petiole milky sap
• Fruit with horizontal wings

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  Potential insects are various scale pests, aphids, maple worm, cankerworms, gall and beetles. Potential diseases ate Anthracnose, bacterial leaf scorch, verticillium wilt, canker and powdery mildew. See the fact sheets to the left.

VIDEO created by Ryan Contreras for “Landscape Plant Materials I:  Deciduous Hardwoods and Conifers or Landscape Plant Materials II:  Spring Flowering Trees and Shrubs” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Horticulture at Oregon State University