Field Maple

How to grow Field Maple

Written by the GardenDecoded editorial team · Last reviewed 21 July 2026 · Written for UK gardens · How we research our guidance

Planting

Plant bare-root whelps or standards between November and March. Our only native maple, it is one of the most adaptable small trees for UK gardens and tolerates exposure, chalk and urban conditions.

Pruning

Prune in late summer or autumn rather than late winter, as maples bleed sap heavily when cut in spring. As a hedge it can be trimmed once or twice a year.

Propagation

From seed sown fresh in autumn and left outside over winter to break dormancy.

Pests and diseases

Tar spot produces conspicuous black blotches on the leaves but does not affect the tree's health. Aphids can be numerous in early summer.

Value to wildlife

Supports a good range of native invertebrates and is a common component of species-rich hedgerows. The flowers are worked by bees and the seed is taken by small mammals and birds.

Notes

Reliable butter-yellow autumn colour, and it makes an excellent hedging plant, clipping densely and holding some dead leaf through winter. A far better choice than sycamore where space is limited.

This guidance was researched and written by GardenDecoded — see our editorial policy for how guides are checked and reviewed.

Other names for this plant

These names have all been used for Acer campestre but are no longer the accepted name. You may still meet them on old labels, in books, or in nursery catalogues.

Others in Acer