Field maple
A small tree of hedges and woodland edges; its yellow-green flowers, opening with the leaves, yield good nectar even on cool spring days.
- Nectar
- Good
- Pollen
- Medium
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Height
- 5-15 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
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Field maple is a slow-growing small tree, common in hedges, along field boundaries and at forest edges. Its small, erect, yellow-green flower clusters have an open nectar disc and are heavily visited by honey bees. Like other maples it can secrete at relatively low temperatures, which adds to its value in changeable spring weather.
Flowering
It flowers together with leaf-out, in late April to early May, for about 2 weeks; it comes slightly after Norway maple.
Honey and pollen
No monofloral honey is produced; it goes into mixed spring honey. Its pollen contribution is moderate. In early summer aphid honeydew may build up on the leaves, and bees collect it from time to time.
Note for the beekeeper
As it tolerates pruning and drought, it is very well suited for planting as a windbreak hedge around the apiary. In the Netherlands and Germany it is often used in roadside and hedge plantings.