Q&A about Norway maple aka Acer platanoides

Discussion in 'Maples' started by JEFFREY ANG, Jul 15, 2018.

  1. JEFFREY ANG

    JEFFREY ANG New Member

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    I have a lot of curiosity about this type of maple simply because not much people pay attentions about Norway maple and hopefully somebody here or any horticulturalists can help me out by providing some advice about this type of maple. Thank you.

    Presently, my uncle has a house and a piece of land in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia. Malaysia is an equatorial tropical weather country. The warm weather is quite constant and stable, not much fluctuations, but it comes with high humidity. But my uncle's house located at Kea Farm area in Cameron Highlands (1600m-1680m elevation above sea level) enjoy constant weather between 15-24 degree Celsius nearly everyday, sometimes, by end of the year or even April to May the weather might even plunged to 10-19 degree Celsius for a month or two. Just around two years ago, there was even a cold front that made the weather in certain parts of Cameron Highlands plunged to 9-15 degree Celsius and there was snow in northern part of Vietnam during that year (ok, this part is not really relevant to my inquiry). Is it possible to plant some Norway maple in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia??? Do we need to plant it under the shade from the strong sun???

    Like tonight (16th July 2018), the major town in Cameron Highlands, Tanah Rata was around 12 degree Celsius. Cameron Highlands has this kind of constant cool weather, is it suitable for the Norway maple??? Or what kind of maple or acer plant/tree do you recommend for Cameron Highlands in Malaysia???
    Tanah Rata Weather - AccuWeather Forecast for Pahang Malaysia

    Can Norway maple ended up as a pest species and compete with native or local plants/trees???

    Thank you.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 15, 2018
  2. 0soyoung

    0soyoung Rising Contributor

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    Norway maple (acer platenoides) is considered to be an invasive species in many areas of the U.S. My avitar is a pic of a group of seedlings I have grown as bonsi - I'm holding a leaf from the mother tree to demonstrate the reduction in leaf size that is possible in bonsai cultivation. There are two 'Crimson King' across the street from me. These small trees and many more are 'volunteers' that popped up in my yard. Of course, if you had only one, I don't think it would not be a problem. It would still make samara, but the seeds would be empty.

    However, I don't think it will survive in your location because (like all maples with which I am familiar) they require something like 6 weeks of accumulated time at temperatures below 5C annually. Trident maple (acer buergerianum) is the closest to a 'tropical maple' as I know. It is native to Taiwan.
     
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  3. JEFFREY ANG

    JEFFREY ANG New Member

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    OK, THANK YOU.

    In fact, not many people know that Acer Oblongum is a native species of maple to Malaysia and Indonesia. But the leaves and foliage are not so attractive as other kinds of maple or acer.

    What about Acer Floridanum??? The species of maple planted at Northern Florida, USA??? I believe the state of Florida is not as cold as many parts of USA and the winter is shorter.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 16, 2018
  4. emery

    emery Renowned Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    Hi Guys,

    I don't think there's much chance of platanoides being invasive in Malaysia, but osoyoung is right it probably won't survive there either. Personally I like oblongum, and there are several other simple leaved Acers that would work: coriacefolium, laevigatum, etc.

    But if you want "mapley" maples, that is multi-lobes or sort of palmate, you might look at some that grow in Burma and N. Vietnam: A. heptaphlebum, A. campbellii (sometimes very tropical), A. flabellatum and the like.

    Acer saccharinum subsp. floridanum, according to the latest taxonomy, might be worth a try if you can get hold of it. Certainly unavailable in Europe, it's on my list. There are also a couple of cloud forest saccharums that might work: skutchii and binzayedii, but they are critically endangered.

    It's a tall order, good luck!

    -E
     
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  5. JEFFREY ANG

    JEFFREY ANG New Member

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    I have my ways to get hold of Acer Floridanum seeds, your advice is most appreciated. I will give it a try.

    To be honest, I'm having a headache now. My stubborn boss aka my uncle want to build a so called temperate climate style resort in Cameron Highlands and he absolutely want to plant some temperate climate plants and he want to make sure it WORKS!!! He is obsessed to plant some maple trees and even iris flowers. Anyway, I feel that yellow flag and blue flag iris flowers have higher chance of success compare to maple trees. And my uncle is not satisfied with Japanese style bonsai maple. He want big and tall maple trees and I'm thinking of trying out sycamore too. I have ways to procure all the maple tree seeds, but success it's a total different story.

    In fact not many people know that you can plant bonsai size Japanese maple in Malaysia. But certainly not big and tall maple trees. Even in highland areas with cool and constant climate, I'm cracking my skull to search for the best advice and info for my attempt of doing so.
     
    Last edited: Jul 19, 2018
  6. emery

    emery Renowned Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    Well it's hard to think of a prettier place to build a resort! Of course any maple takes a long time to make a tall tree from seed, but sycamore maples (pseudoplatanus) are faster than many, and I think probably a better bet than platanoides. They grow in areas where it stays quite warm. Along the same lines, sterculiaceum might do, I know it's found in Nagaland where it is quite warm. Both of these should put up quite well with the moisture levels in the highlands.

    For a really fast growing maple, Acer velutinum puts on tremendous size in a short time, and is practically the same as a sycamore except the leaves are larger. It might be able to survive there.

    -E
     
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  7. JEFFREY ANG

    JEFFREY ANG New Member

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    Your advice is very much appreciated. Thank you.
     

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