As Autumn Arrives, The Foliage Shifts To Clear Yellows And Golds, And The Tree Lights Up The Garden Before It Lets Go.

A Proper Shade Tree With A Big, Kind Canopy

Norway maple is loved for one simple reason: it makes shade you can actually use. The leaves are broad and plentiful, and once the crown fills out it creates a cool, dappled space underneath that feels restful on hot days. In a larger UK garden, it’s the sort of tree that changes how you live outside — suddenly there’s somewhere to sit when the sun is strong, somewhere the lawn stays greener, and somewhere the garden feels more “finished”. Give it room, and it rewards you with calm, green shelter year after year.

  • A Proper Shade Tree With A Big, Kind Canopy
  • Tough, Street-Smart, And Surprisingly Adaptable
  • Seasonal Rhythm From Spring To Autumn

Norway Maples at a Glance:

Common name: Norway maple.

Latin name: Acer platanoides.

Size in UK gardens: A large deciduous tree over time; commonly 12–20m, with a broad crown if given space.

Best position: Sun or light shade in an open spot, with plenty of clearance from buildings and boundaries.

Soil: Adaptable, but best in fertile, well-drained soil; tolerates clay if it isn’t waterlogged.

Main interest: Big shade canopy, spring flowers, and warm yellow autumn colour; winged seeds later in the season.

Fragrance: Usually not noticeably scented.

Hardiness: Very hardy in the UK once established.

Care level: Low to moderate – easy enough, but needs the right siting and room to grow.
Some of our team!

Home-grown, backed by local specialists.

The Simpson’s team raises the majority of our trees here at the nursery. For varieties outside our own production, we work with independent local growers we trust - all chosen for UK climate suitability.

Norway Maple Care at a Glance:

Planting time: As container-grown trees, Norway maples can be planted in most months when the ground isn’t frozen or waterlogged; spring and autumn are usually easiest.

Watering: Water well in the first 1–2 seasons, then water deeply in prolonged dry spells; established trees are fairly resilient but look best without repeated drought stress.

Feeding: A spring mulch of compost or well-rotted manure is usually enough; feed lightly in spring if growth is weak.

Pruning: Minimal – remove dead or crossing branches; do bigger cuts in mid to late summer to avoid sap “bleeding”.

Winter: Fully hardy; young trees benefit from mulch and steady watering going into winter if autumn has been very dry.

Varieties We Usually Stock

Availability is always changing, so please check with us if you have a particular variety in mind.

Acer platanoides ‘Crimson King’

Acer platanoides ‘Crimson Sentry’

Acer platanoides ‘Drummondii’

Acer platanoides ‘Jules’

A classic purple-leaved Norway maple with a broad, shady crown and strong summer colour that doesn’t fade quickly. It makes instant contrast against greens and silver foliage, then tones deeper in autumn. Best for larger gardens and streets where you can give it space to spread.

A narrow, upright purple Norway maple that keeps a slim footprint while delivering rich dark foliage all season. Ideal for drives, tighter gardens and formal planting where height matters more than width. Autumn colour deepens, and the silhouette stays tidy even in windy sites.

A bright variegated Norway maple with green leaves neatly edged in cream in spring, creating a calm, light canopy. It brings colour without flowers and gives gentle shade over lawns or patios. Best in sun or light shade for crisp margins, and sheltered sites to avoid scorch.

A compact Norway maple with a neat, rounded crown and clean green foliage, chosen for reliability and an even shape. It suits smaller gardens where a full-sized Norway maple would be too much. Expect pleasant yellow autumn colour and dependable shade without constant pruning.

Acer platanoides ‘Norwegian Sunset’

Acer platanoides

Acer platanoides ‘Princeton Gold’

A vivid Norway maple selected for stronger seasonal colour, with green summer leaves that shift to orange-red tones as autumn arrives. It keeps a tidy, upright-oval habit and feels more ornamental than the species. Great as a lawn tree where you want drama without fuss, too.

The traditional Norway maple: fast to establish, tough in urban conditions, and able to form a generous canopy of fresh green leaves. It gives strong shade and reliable yellow autumn colour, making it a good avenue or large-garden tree. Allow plenty of room for roots and spread.

A golden-leaved Norway maple that opens bright yellow in spring and stays luminous through summer, adding warmth and contrast. It forms a shade tree for medium to large gardens and looks superb against dark evergreens. Give it moisture in dry spells and avoid very exposed heat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Norway maple is a large tree in time, so it’s best suited to bigger gardens where it can spread naturally. In a small plot, the canopy can become too dense and the roots can compete with nearby planting, making borders harder work. If you love the maple look but have limited space, you’ll usually be happier with a smaller species or a carefully chosen, more compact form. If you do plant a Norway maple, give it generous clearance from buildings and boundaries from the start, so you’re not forced into heavy pruning later.

Yes – it’s reliably warm and cheerful rather than fiery. Most Norway maples turn yellow to golden in autumn, and in a sunny position the colour can be particularly clean and bright. It won’t always give the reds and oranges of some ornamental maples, but what it does offer is consistency and a very “British parkland” feel. If autumn colour is your main goal, plant it where it gets plenty of light and isn’t too shaded by larger trees, and you’ll enjoy that golden finale most years.

It’s a steady, reasonably quick-growing tree once established, especially in good soil with enough moisture in summer. In the first year or two it focuses on rooting in, then you’ll usually see stronger extension growth each season. The important thing is to plan for the mature size rather than the sapling: it may look modest when planted, but it’s capable of becoming a substantial canopy tree. Regular watering while young, a yearly mulch, and avoiding waterlogging are the simple ingredients for good, steady growth.

You can do some shaping, especially while the tree is young, but Norway maple isn’t a tree you can comfortably “shrink-wrap” forever. Light pruning to build a strong framework and remove crossing branches is sensible, and if you need to reduce growth, do it gradually rather than with big, repeated cuts. Major pruning is best done in mid to late summer to avoid sap bleeding. In practice, the best way to keep a tree manageable is to choose the right tree for the space in the first place.