Trees of London: Identification of a Norway Maple at the Tower of London

The leaf:
On some trees, but by
no means all, the leaves are purple.


	The Norway maple with the Roman wall behind.

Trees of London
The Tower of London

Norway Maple

previous tree next tree: sycamore

The Norway Maple has leaves similar to the London plane, and nuts (seeds) similar to the sycamore, but unlike those trees, it has a smooth bark with slight veins visible. If you want to remind yourself of what the London plane looks like, there is one nearby; the largest tree on this site and just back nearer the main road from the Norway maples. There are also two sycamores around here, so you can see for yourselves the similarities and differences between these trees.

The Norway maple and the sycamore both have what is called double samaras for nuts (seeds); to distinguish between the two, the angle of the sycamore is more acute; the Norway maple is almost 180 degrees.

previous tree next tree: sycamore

Other Trees at Tower Hill
black poplar London plane acacia

sycamore rowan bird cherry

ginkgo honey locust

Tower of London

Tree Identification
Acer platanoides Leaf: The leaf of the Norway is maple shaped. They grow from the same point of the shoot, but opposite.
	A maple leaf on the Canadian flag. click flag to see real leaf.
		nuts: the double samaras of the Norway maple, bottom, are at a wider angle than those of the sycamore, above.
		Flowers: they grow upright in bunches, in contrast with the sycamore whose droop.
		bark: smooth with clear vertical rims.
shape: grows to about 30metres		Usually has a rounded crown.
general: The most common maple in London, along with the sycamore.

Location
Across the road from the Tower
and walking east from Trinity Square Gardens,
beyond the Roman wall, there are two towards the back.