GROWTH AND PROVENANCE OF NORWAY MAPLE (ACER-PLATANOIDES) IN LOWLAND BRITAIN

The results of an experiment to investigate the early growth and form of ten different provenances of Norway maple (Acer platanoides L.) are described. Two sites were planted and after 8 years survival was 88 p er cent and 95 per cent and height increment was 402 cm and 201 cm; co nfirming the potential of Norway maple to be a productive forest tree. Provenances that performed well were from Germany, the Netherlands, D enmark and Yugoslavia; exact locations were not known for all seed col lections. A provenance from Russia was included, material from this fa r east has rarely been tested in Britain. However, as expected, its pe rformance was relatively poor. The main constraint to further planting of Norway maple is the palatability of the bark to grey squirrels (Sc iurus carolinensis Gmelin.). However, it is a useful tree for high pH and heavy soils and as an alternative species to sycamore (Acer pseudo platanus L.).