Field Maple Bonsai Care Guide

Acer campestre

Field Maple Bonsai

Native to Europe, this species of maple is popular across the continent for hedging. Its dark green leaves turn a light yellow or orange before falling after autumn. These fast-growing deciduous have a 3-lobed leaf shape and are easy to train making them a popular bonsai for beginners. 

Field Maple Bonsai Care Tips

Field Maple bonsai are remarkably hardy species that do not require any special winter protection. During the growing season, they are best kept in full sun to ensure that the leaves will reach their optimum colours.

If you are foreseeing a period of -10 degrees C temperatures, some frost protection is advisable. 

From the spring to the autumn, Field Maple requires continuous watering. While tolerant of drier soils, it’s advised they are watered twice a day during summer. In the winter, be sure to keep the soil moist. 

Across the growing season from spring to the end of summer, apply a general feed once a month. 

During the Spring or Summer old growths can be pruned back. This is a fast-growing species so hard cutbacks are more than welcome. Pinch out the growing tips of new shoots in the Spring to keep your desired shape. 

Field Maple is ideally wired in the Spring. Wires may require some wrapping to avoid leaving marks on the bark. We recommend using wires with a thickness that matches the thickness of the branch: if the wire you choose is too thick you will damage the bark. If it is too thin, it won’t be effective.

Repotting your tree is an important way to provide a fresh and suitable soil mix and ensure appropriate root health. Field Maple requires repotting every 2-3 years. Doing so is dependent on the roots being pot-bound or significantly compacted. Late Winter or the opening of Spring are the ideal windows. 

Trees that are ready for repotting will require root pruning, a suitable new pot and appropriate soil mix.

When repotting, do not cut back the root mass by a large amount, and choose a well-draining soil mix that has a neutral or slightly higher PH value of 5-6 but not over 7. We tend to use a mixture of different speciality bonsai soils on our trees. Every species is different so please contact us for free soil-mix advice or to take advantage of our repotting service.

Bonsai trees aren’t only magnificent additions to an indoor oasis, they are more than capable of standing out in any garden. Many Bonsai species are incredibly hardy and withstand nature’s colder and damper turns with aplomb making them worthwhile outdoor plants. We have an extensive library of care guides for outdoor bonsai trees. It’s not about selecting the perfect bonsai, it’s about selecting the perfect bonsai for you. 

Acer is a sizable genus of shrubs and trees with over 120 species. Known to most as maples, these palmate-leaved deciduous are closely related to both lychee and horse chestnut. Commonly cultivated for bonsai are the Japanese Red Maple and the Trident Maple among its many cultivars. So popular are Acer for bonsai, some hobbyists in Japan grow maples and only maples. 

Field Maple Bonsai - Typical Queries

Field Maple bonsai can be propagated fairly easily with cuttings, seeds and layering. Seeds will require stratifying in cold conditions or a refrigerator before being planted in autumn to come through in Spring. Softwood cuttings are very effective as they root with ease. Air layering is also an option.

Field Maple can face aphids, caterpillars, scale and mites as intruders. Use insecticide or neem oil to remove. To avoid fungal infections do not water leaves, only water the rootball. 

As a very hardy deciduous it isn’t advisable as they need full sun and aeration. The only time it’s appropriate to consider cover is for temperatures below -5 degrees consistently where an appropriate frame will suffice. Keeping a Field Maple indoors isn’t appropriate for this genus.