Tree
Field maple
Acer campestre
A deciduous tree with small lobed leaves and yellow autumn colour, also widely grown as a clipped hedge. A free-growing tree needs far more room than a regularly maintained hedge.
- Size
- 8–20 m high · 4–10 m wide
- Light
- Full sun / Partial shade
- Water
- Moderate
- Winter
- Hardy
- Seasonal form
- Deciduous
- Maintenance
- Low
Before planting
- The size range describes a free-growing tree, not a hedge kept short by regular clipping.
Why choose it
- Autumn foliage and tolerance of urban conditions suit larger gardens and hedgerows.
Care
- Water new trees and hedges during establishment and prolonged dry spells.
- Keep tree pruning minimal; when needed, prune from late autumn to midwinter.
Good to know
- Keeping a hedge compact needs regular clipping; a free-growing tree usually needs much less pruning.