Acer platanoides 'Crimsom King' - Crimson King Norway Maple

Crimson King Norway Maple is a popular purple cultivar of the common Norway maple. Again, like the species, they are considered weeds in many areas of the county. Crimson King maples are not as large as the species, maybe 25-30' tall with a more upright habit than the round shaped species. Canopy is very dense allowing very little to grow under them. This and most of the other pictures are old ones of low quality from Spokane. You can see a green (its turning yellow in the fall) Norway behind the purple one.

Leaves are opposite, simple, 4-7" long and wide, 5 lobes with 2 small "fangs". Not deeply lobed, rounded sinuses. Lobes are lightly toothed but the teeth are bristle tipped. New foliage is very dark purple, becoming lighter as the season progresses, and eventually turning an interesting fall color. Milky sap flows from the petiole until late fall.

Here is a picture of the species leaves, just to see the bristle tips and lobes.

Fruit is a pair of winged samaras, 2" long held at about 180 degrees. Produced in large branched clusters unlike our big-leaf maple. These are again from the species.

Flowers are produced early in the spring and are yellowish. Pretty showy as they emerge before the leaves. Whole tree takes on a lime yellowish color. Contrasts very nicely with the newly emerging purple foliage, better than the green leaves.

Misidentification: Sycamores, look at the leaf arrangement, maples are all opposite, sycamores are alternate, may resemble sugar maple but I have not seen one here.

Locations:
Aptos

Aptos Village County Park - on the lawn area