Tree of the Month – Field Maple (Acer campestre)

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As autumn settles over Silk Wood, one of our most modest trees steps into the spotlight: the Field Maple, the UK’s only native maple. While Westonbirt is home to over 200 maple species and cultivars from around the world, this humble native is the only one that truly belongs here. It may not reach the soaring heights of oaks or beeches, but right now it glows with golden leaves, lighting up the paths every bit as dramatically as the exotic Japanese maples elsewhere in the Arboretum.

Spot it this month

Look for Field Maples along the rides in Silk Wood, where their buttercup-yellow leaves catch the low October sun. Their winged fruits, those familiar “helicopter seeds” are also spinning to the ground at this time of year, a sure sign that autumn is in full swing.

A hardy character

Field Maples may be small, but they are tough. They can live for more than 350 years, tolerate air pollution, and adapt well to different soils, which is why you’ll often see them planted along city streets. Their resilience makes them a natural choice for our Silk Wood Community Planting Project, designed with future generations in mind.

Rich in history, wildlife, and culture

The Field Maple is a wildlife magnet: a single mature tree can support over 200 species of insects, making it a keystone for biodiversity, while its nectar and seeds feed pollinators, birds, and small mammals. Its dense, fine-grained wood has long been prized for craftsmanship, from medieval church interiors, where it glowed warmly in candlelight, to musical instruments. Stradivari and other Italian luthiers often used Field Maple for the backs of violins, violas, and cellos, its hardness and beauty giving these instruments both strength and tone.

Folklore also surrounds this unassuming tree: in Germany, carrying a Field Maple leaf was said to bring good dreams, while in parts of Eastern Europe it was believed to protect travellers in the forest.

Come and See

The Field Maple is a tree of quiet beauty: unassuming for much of the year, then suddenly ablaze with autumn colour. Next time you visit, take a walk through Silk Wood, find one of these golden natives, and enjoy the simple magic of our very own British maple.