Description: Large tree with widely spreading, rounded crown, hugely and densely domed. If grown away from forest, often broader than tall. Large, paired, palmately five-lobed leaves.

Height: 20-35m

Diameter: 0.6-2m

Buds: 8-10mm ovoid, few green scales, margin reddish, open with basal scales red and decurved.

Leaves: opposite; 9-15cm long and wide. The five shallow lobes, short-pointed and wavy sawtoothed, with five main veins from notched base; long, slender leafstalk. Dull dark green with sunken veins above, pale with raised, sometimes hairy veins beneath; turning brown in autumn. Much variation of size and depth of lobing with the age and vigour of the shoot. On young and vigorous trees: petiole scarlet to 15 cm; leaf to 18 x 26 cm. On old trees: petiole yellow-green or pink, 5-10 cm, occasionally larger. Leaves unfold orange, brownish or reddish, particularly bright in late summer growth on sprouts. They are usually affected by "Acer tar spot", a fungus (Rhytisma acerinum) which causes large thick black patches.

Bark: Grey, smooth or with broad, flaky scales.

Twigs: Grey, hairless.

Flowers: 5mm wide; with five greenish-yellow petals; male and bisexual; in narrow, branched, drooping clusters, 6-13 cm long; in early spring.

Fruit: 3-5 cm long paired keys with elliptical body and long wing. In short-stalked bunches, green variably tinged red, on some trees conspicuously bright red in summer, glabrous. Maturing light brown in summer.

Habitat: Hardy in exposed places, abundant and seeding freely everywhere.

Range: Across Europe and Northern Asia.

Introduced around 1550 (although possibly some in Roman times). Now naturalised as a common and almost ineradicable weed, spreading freely from self-set seed. The ground below the canopy is typically extremely dry and shady, severely limiting what will grow in the understory or herb layer.

Information: Audubon (1980), Mitchell (1978)

Location: Existing mature tree at North end of eastern boundary of what is now the US Strip (strictly this tree is on adjacent property). Smaller tree near south end of old western boundary, now enclosed in the US strip near drainage. This latter tree is to be removed as newer plantings grow up. In fact, in view of the possibility of the village being listed as a conservation area and the extreme ugliness of this particular tree, it will probably come down this winter.

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Bibliography of the sources cited in the "Information" section.
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