Albion Trees

Acer platanoides L. – Sapindaceae – soapberry family

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Norway maple is one of the most common street trees in Albion.  It occurs in both green-leaved and, and less commonly, bronze- or purple-leaved forms.  One common purple-leaved cultivated variety (cultivar, abbreviated cv.) planted in our area is cv. ‘Crimson King.’

In the spring and early summer, Norway maples are easy to recognize because the youngest twigs and leaf stalks bleed a milky sap when torn apart (see photos).  In Albion the sequence of blooming for our four most common maples is silver maple, followed by red maple, followed by Norway maple, followed by sugar maple.  When Norway maples are flowering in late April and early May, their distinctive light green foliage and flower clusters allow one to appreciate how commonly this species is planted.  This Eurasian species obviously grows very well in Albion!

The distinctive bark of Norway maple is generally finely and evenly grooved (see photos) unlike that of other maples in our area.