Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Acer campestre - Hedge Maple

The recent water pipe work on Soquel Drive made me think about posting up this tree as they are not doing that great anyway and with the construction they may not last much longer. The Hedge maple is a nice smaller maple developing a rounded crown to about 25'.  Trees are often low branching and need to be pruned if used as a street tree.



Leaves opposite, simple, palmately lobed, usually 5 rounded lobes, 2-4" long, dark green, lighter below, sometimes lightly pubescent below, another maple with white sap.



Flowers are yellowish green, small, at the same time as the leaves emerge. Found at the end of the stems.



Fruit are winged samaras, 1 to 1-1/2" long and spreading at 180 degrees.



Stems thin, light brown, sometimes with corky growths, usually not.



Bark is thin, light gray to brown with some shallow furrows.



Misidentification:
not sure, rounded lobes are a good feature,


Location:
Aptos
Soquel Dr in median from Cabrillo to Capitola Rd

Santa Cruz
5000 block of Logan St at Mott.