Side by side
Field elm or field maple? How to tell them apart
Ulmus minor · Acer campestre
How to tell them apart – field elm: elm with a fairly small, smooth and glossy leaf with a very lopsided base, twigs often with corky ridges, many root suckers; field maple: also has corky ridges and grows in hedges too, but its lobed leaves are opposite.
How do you recognise them?
- Field elm
- Elm with a fairly small, smooth and glossy leaf with a very lopsided base; twigs often with corky ridges, many root suckers.
- Field maple
- Small maple with small leaves with rounded lobes; milky sap in the leaf stalk; wings in a straight line.
- Compared with field elm: also has corky ridges and grows in hedges too, but its lobed leaves are opposite.
| Field elm | Field maple | |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | Alternate, 4–10 cm, oval to elliptic with a pointed tip, double-toothed; upper side smooth and glossy, underside with white tufts of hair in the vein axils. Very lopsided base; leaf stalk 5–15 mm. | Opposite, small (5–10 cm), with 3–5 rounded lobes without pointed teeth. The leaf stalk contains milky sap. |
| Flowering | Clusters of small reddish flowers in March, before the leaves (March). | May |
| Fruit | Round to obovate winged fruits 1–1.5 cm long, with the seed near the top, close to the notch. | Winged fruits whose wings spread out horizontally, in a single line. |
| Bark | Grey-brown, furrowed lengthways into small blocks; young twigs and suckers often with conspicuous corky ridges. | Light brown and finely fissured; young twigs often have corky ridges. |
| Shape and height | Broadleaf tree, 15–30 m, often a shrub in hedges | Broadleaf tree, 10–20 m, often in hedges |
| Site | Full sun, any garden soil, normal | Sun or partial shade, any garden soil, normal |
| Native to Belgium | Yes | Yes |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | – | Yes, for bees and butterflies |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Not known to be poisonous | Not known to be poisonous |
| Pruning months | November–February | June–October |
What does it mean for your garden?
- Both are native and good for wildlife: choose what suits your soil, your light and the space you have.
- Field elm (15–30 m) and field maple (10–20 m) both grow into large trees: too big for an ordinary garden, but fine in a large garden, a park or a meadow.
Read on
- Plant profile: Field elm
- Plant profile: Field maple
- Field elm: when and how to prune
- Field maple: when and how to prune
- Identification key
Also looks like
This comparison is compiled from the Bladwijzer species pages.