Acer platanoides Purple Globe - Norway maple

Acer platanoides 'Purple Globe' is a purple-leaved form of a dwarf cultivar of the Norway Maple, with a compact, spherical, and densely leafy habit. Its foliage is a dark crimson to deep purple colour. In autumn, this intense foliage becomes lighter and more vibrant. This small, moderately vigorous Norway Maple is a rare variety that truly shines when planted as a standalone specimen in fertile to average, deep soil.

Native to the Caucasus, widespread in Europe from Scandinavia to Spain and eastwards to Russia, Acer platanoides is a large deciduous tree with rapid growth, often associated with oak, lime, and elm in upland forests. It can live up to 200 years. The crown diameter of 'Purple Globe' reaches about 5 m in ten years, with a total height of about 9 m, depending on the conditions. Its foliage is deciduous. The leaves are opposite, palmate, 10 to 20 cm long, with 5 to 7 very sharp, toothed lobes. The leaves, borne on long petioles, are smooth and glossy. The flowering, in the form of corymbs of tiny yellow-green flowers, is particularly nectar-rich. It is followed by 3 to 5cm long, winged fruits called samaras, in June. The bark of this tree is grey-brown, almost smooth, marked with numerous shallow longitudinal cracks.

Acer platanoides 'Purple Globe' is an easy-to-grow tree, suitable for any type of soil as long as it is deep and not overly moist. It is well-suited to urban environments and shows good resistance to harsh weather conditions. Ideal for relatively modest gardens, it brings its rounded silhouette and intensely coloured foliage to the middle of a lawn or near a terrace. At its base, you can plant colourful ground cover perennials such as heucheras, tiarellas, stachys, or bergenias, which will enhance its architectural habit and complement its colour.

Tips: Prune every 3 to 5 years to balance the branches and maintain a harmonious habit.