This old cultivar forms a small-leaved, regular, ball shaped shrub. It comes from the UK and was named by Loudon in 1839, introduced by De Vos in the Netherlands in 1895 (MOW). Called 'Globosum' by Bean, it stands strong sun and is drought resistant. A very useful maple for small gardens, or as an accent plant. I forgot to mention, Nanum is sometimes sold as a solitaire (high graft). In this case it makes a perfect and surreal lollipop shape. Since Field Maples take so well to cutting, I imagine it could be formed into cubes or whatever. It would be fun to make a formal alley with a head high, long cubic rectangle of maple on each side!
Well A.campestre is sold by many hedging cos and sometimes called hedge maple so you may not be the first :)
For what it's worth, I remember a neighbour in Burnaby BC planting a row of these in the 1950s along the front of his garden. Walking by every day, I always thought they were a strange choice for a hedge because you could easily see right through the branches, even in summer. The owners obviously liked it because it stood for at least 50 years until the house was torn down. I was pretty young then and didn't learn the name of the maple until much later. I still don't admire it no matter the shape.
It surprises me. "Field maple" hedges are not as compact as the traditional thuya or cupressocyparis, but the hedges they form are very compact, that is if you prune them like you would any hedge.
Yes that was my thought too. They're commonly planted here and make a very good hedge, quite tight, forming sections of the hedge rows along roads. I mean just A. campestre, not the 'Nanum' form. The new growth often has a reddish flush that's very attractive.
I guess you'd have to decide wether you could live with a non-evergreen hedge in winter.Wouldn't suit formal gardens IMO
I can send you some scions at some point, or are you coming for the Symposium? Mine is huge now, looks more like a giant beanbag cushion that a ball, haha. Birds love nesting in the tight interior. My friend grafted a bunch last winter, I could get you one of those. Can't send anything to the US right now, including a ballot. I tried to vote yesterday the PO told me all letter service from EU->US was suspended because they were holding them at the border, or returning. The official reason is confusion over tariffs on the under $800 sales, but it's hard to see how that would effect letters. So trying to figure out how to vote...
I would greatly appreciate it. I love the growth habit! As of now my plan is to come. Due to seniority at the work place, someone has bumped me for the vacation time. SMH on not being able to vote. They are pulling all type of stuff to make it difficult to vote here. This stuff has gotten way out of hand.
Here's what 'Nanum' looks like today. Lots and lots of scion wood, for sure!! Was wondering if I should shape it a little, but I kind of like the natural form. I've got some advice on voting, looks like it will be possible with a lot of hassle.
