Few people know that Norway maple has excellent he alth benefits. When used correctly, it can be of great benefit. Of course, many people know about his most important quality. This tree is widely used in landscape design due to its amazing decorative effect, especially in autumn.
The article provides a description of Norway maple, features of reproduction, use in decorating garden and park areas, etc.
Varieties of maples
Maple grows all over the world. Often it is used in landscaping city parks and suburbs. In total, there are more than 150 species of this tree, among which there are both decorative and simple forms.
The most common types:
- holly maple;
- bearded;
- red;
- Ginnal (or riverside);
- yellow;
- green;
- false platanum;
- naked Palmate (fan);
- field;
- Tatar;
- sugar (Silver);
- ash-leaved (American);
- black.
Distribution
This type of maple grows in the vastness of Europe and Asia (western part). The northern border of the range of Norway maple reaches the southern regions of Finland, Scandinavia and Karelia, and the southern border passes through the northern territories of Iran.
Grows mainly in deciduous and mixed forests in small groups and singly. In Russia, this maple mainly grows in its middle zone.
General information about maple
Various types of maples are widely distributed in deciduous forests. More often than others, you can find Norway maple, or common maple. The flowers are fragrant, yellowish-greenish. The flowering of the plant occurs both before the leaves bloom and after.
This fairly decorative species is used for landscaping alleys and parks, ponds, gardens and suburban areas. Fruiting begins at the age of 17 years. Maple is unpretentious, tolerates winter frosts well, and is not afraid of shading, but loves fertile soil. It should be noted that wild species have greater frost resistance than cultivated ones. The tree can die with excessive moisture and saline soil.
The tree has the most beautiful qualities - a large wide crown, a beautiful slender trunk. The leaves of the Norway maple are the most attractive part of this plant. For all these qualities, the tree is very much appreciated as a decorative species. In autumn, the plant is especially brightstands out among the evergreen conifers. It should also be noted that maple perfectly tolerates transplantation, urban conditions with a dusty atmosphere, smoke and gases. Norway maple is one of the main species intended for landscape construction.
It is important to note that the leaves of this species are also used for the manufacture of medicines, as they contain useful enzymes such as carbohydrates and aldehydes.
Description of Norway maple
This maple is very similar in appearance to another species - Canadian (or sugar) maple. They differ among themselves, first of all, in the juice that stands out from the petioles: in Canadian maple it is transparent. And the color of the leaves in the autumn of the Canadian maple is brighter, and its bark is more rough and rough. The shape of the leaves of the Holly is more spreading, and the buds have a reddish tint, in contrast to the bright green of the Canadian.
From petioles and veins of broken leaves, milky juice stands out. The crown of Norway maple is dense, the bark has a red-gray hue, dark green leaves are five-lobed in shape. The lower part of the leaf plate is slightly paler. In autumn, they turn into yellow-red shades, and this natural phenomenon takes on an indescribable beauty.
The flowering of the tree occurs in the first half of May. The flowers of a yellowish-green hue are collected in corymbs (15-30 pieces). Due to the fact that the maple of this species is dioecious, it has either male or female flowers. The plant is pollinated by insects. Nectary in the form of a flat ringlocated between the petals and the ovary. The fruit of the Norway maple is a lionfish, which breaks up into 2 one-seeded small fruits. It ripens at the end of summer, and sometimes falls before the end of winter.
Shapes
This type of maple has several decorative forms and many varieties.
- The spherical shape is the most commonly used. It is a slow-growing tree grown by grafting into the root neck or trunk. This achieves the bushy appearance of the tree. This form is used both in single plantings and in group plantings (in alleys). It can also be grafted into the root neck for use in lawn decoration.
- The palm-cut form is a spectacular plant with dark green leaves separated to the base.
- Holy Drummonda is a tree with leaves that are pink when blooming, which then become white-edged. With its unusual beauty, such a plant makes an indelible impression.
- Golden Globe - a form with a spherical crown and golden foliage.
The most common varieties
- Globozum Maple. Height 7 meters, diameter 3-5 m. The leaves are palmately separate, pink when blooming. As they grow, they turn dark green, turning yellow-orange in autumn.
- Crimson King is a tree that grows up to 20 meters in height. The leaves are deep purple, almost black throughout the season. When blooming, they are bright red, and in the fall the upper part turns purple.
- Crimson Sentry. The height of this slender tree reaches 20 meters, diameter - 8 m. The branches are directed upwards, the leaves are bright red.
- Deborah. The width of the crown can reach 15 meters, height - 20 m. The leaves are five- or seven-lobed with slightly wavy edges. When blooming, they are purple-red on the upper side, and dark green on the lower side. Further, the upper part gradually turns green, and then becomes brown. Autumn leaves are yellow-orange.
- Emerald Queen is a fast-growing tree (height 15 m, crown diameter up to 10 m). When blooming, the palmately lobed leaves are bronze in color, then in summer and autumn they turn green and yellow, respectively.
- Royal Red. The height of the holly maple is 8-12 meters. The leaves are blood-red in spring, black-red and shiny in summer, turning red again in autumn.
Chemical composition
As noted above, maple leaves contain aldehydes (beta-hexenic, alpha-hexenic), alkaloids. They also contain carbohydrates, organic acids (succinic, acetic, phthalic), rubber, polyisopropenes (squalene), carotenoids (beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, etc.), nitrogen-containing compounds (methylamine, etc.), phenolcarboxylic acids (gallic, salicylic), vitamins C and E, tannins, higher fatty acids, flavonoids, lipids (phytinyllinolenate) and other substances.
Seeds contain rubber, cyclothols and fatty oil.
Propagation of Norway maple
Seed propagation is the easiest way. The best time to sow the seeds is in the fallin winter, they underwent stratification in natural conditions. When shoots appear in the spring, they should be transplanted to a permanent place.
Sowing can also be done in the spring (in March), but for this it is necessary to stratify the seeds for 5-7 days in the refrigerator, in a cell for vegetables, placing the seeds in a container with moistened sand.
For propagation by layering, on a branch intended for breeding a new sprout, make several cuts on the bark (obliquely) with a sharp knife, and then process them with a root former ("Kornevin" or "Heteroauxin"). To avoid closing the edges of the incisions, you can insert foam grains into them, and cover the wounds with wet moss (sphagnum). Put a plastic bag on top of this part of the branch, tightly fastening it below and above the cuts made. Then you should cover the bag from the sun with foil or canvas. In places of incisions, roots will gradually begin to grow. Next spring, you need to separate the layers from the maple, and plant them in the ground along with the sphagnum.
Reproduction by basal layering is as follows. On the root growth, located closer to the soil surface, cuts are made and treated with a root former solution. Then you should spud high, covering the cuts with earth. It is necessary to water and spud layering throughout the season. It will develop its own roots by next spring, then it will be possible to dig it out and plant it in a new place.
Application inmedicine
Preparations, which include Norway maple, are used for diseases of the kidneys, bladder and jaundice. It is used as a tonic and antiemetic, as well as for colds, inflammatory processes in the oral cavity and inflammation of the lungs. A decoction of the leaves is also recommended after childbirth (for the complete exit of the child's place).
Fresh crushed maple leaves heal wounds and ulcers. Before using them, they should be well treated with an antiseptic. You can also simply apply steamed leaves to boils, bandage the wound every day, changing the sheet. The course of treatment is about 5-7 days. Maple sap can be taken for scurvy and as a general he alth drink.
Maple, after birch, oak and pine, is the leader among other trees in terms of the amount of bioenergy that can replenish human energy. Moreover, its number is constant from spring to autumn. The best time to communicate with him is in the early morning, during and after sunrise. Maples are "friends" in the forest with oaks, aspens and birches.
Home use
Norway maple is popular in the design of gardens, parks, it is also planted along highways. Decorative plant throughout the growing season. From a simple stump, it gives abundant shoots, perfectly tolerates transplantation and growing conditions in the city. Within its range, it is one of the main tree species used in landscape gardening. It has existed in garden culture since ancient times.
Maple is a good honey plant, which is of great importance asearly pollen and melliferous plant. Maple honey belongs to light varieties and has good taste. Bees from a plot with a flowering maple of 1 ha produce up to 200 kilograms of honey per season.
The wood of this type of maple is used to make furniture and various wooden crafts. The leaves are used as dyes for wool. Maple wood is used to make the most melodious clarinets and flutes.
Legend
Somehow an evil mother "cursed" her naughty son, turning him into a maple tree. It grew and became sprawling and beautiful. One day the musicians, passing through the grove past this tree, camped under it. From a branch of a tree they liked, they made a violin, which for many years, in the voice of a son bewitched by his mother, told the whole world about her guilt before him.
Maple is indeed a melodious tree. It was from him that Sadko's harp was made.
Maple in landscape design
Gardeners in Holland, Germany, England often use large trees with brightly colored or variegated foliage in landscaping their gardens. Variety of varieties of Norway maple opens up huge opportunities for designers. For example, the slopes of ravines or mountains, planted with maples with purple and yellow shades of foliage, and even with variegation, look fabulous.
For the decoration of personal and summer cottages, even one maple of the Crimson King variety is enough, which brings a unique flavor to the design. And the compositions with his participation, along with other decorativebushes and trees can achieve even better success. Of course, this task is not so simple, since when planting seedlings, it is necessary to take into account not only the compatibility of plants in their colors, but also their future sizes. With deliberate and correct calculations, this task is quite feasible.
In conclusion, some interesting facts
- Sweet molasses oozes from the drilled maple bark in spring, on which bugs, mosquitoes, flies, butterflies and other insects immediately flock. If the juice begins to ferment a little, then all the unlucky insects clinging to it immediately fall asleep.
- Very fond of maple juice and birds: tits, woodpeckers and jays. Squirrels are not averse to eating them.
- Besides sugar, juice contains vitamins, malic acid, proteins and mineral s alts. It is known that for a long time people have evaporated maple molasses in order to obtain sugar and syrup. And today, in addition to sugar, vinegar is also obtained from maple sap. They also make syrups and drinks.
- There is a village near Moscow named after this wonderful tree - Klenovo. People come here specially for the seeds of these maples - tall and perfectly enduring winter frosts.
