Field maple vs Sycamore maple

Field maple and Sycamore maple are often considered for the same spot in the garden (shade, specimen, pollinator friendly). The data below shows where they differ: size, hardiness, care, toxicity and price.

Field maple

Acer campestre 4.5 m × 3 m after 10 years

A native, undemanding small to medium tree that copes with drought, lime and clay, city air and hard clipping, and turns a good yellow in autumn. Left…

Large tree

Full sun

Part shade

from about HUF 2,800

Sycamore maple

Acer pseudoplatanus 8 m × 5 m after 10 years

Sycamore maple is a huge, fast-growing shade tree with a dense crown that is happiest in a cooler, more humid spot with fresh soil, and its spring…

Large tree

Full sun

Part shade

from about HUF 2,800

Key differences

Sycamore maple grows larger: 8 m × 5 m after ten years, against 4.5 m × 3 m for Field maple (an estimate: sources differ).
Field maple copes better with summer heat than Sycamore maple.
Field maple tolerates drought better than Sycamore maple.
Field maple needs less care than Sycamore maple.
Sycamore maple has pollen that can cause allergies, Field maple does not (an estimate: sources differ).

Which one to choose?

Field maple is the better choice if space is tight, the spot is hot and sunny, you cannot water regularly or you have little time for care.

Watch out for

Field maple

By late summer the foliage often gets powdery mildew, especially on clipped hedges; it looks poor but rarely does serious harm. Aphids, scale, leaf spots and tar spot occur, and occasionally verticillium wilt. It resprouts strongly after cutting and can also produce root suckers.

Sycamore maple

In Central Europe this is a hill and mountain species that needs humid air: in hot, dry lowland summers the leaves scorch and drop early and the tree weakens. Trees stressed by heat and drought are increasingly hit by sooty bark disease (Cryptostroma corticale): the bark peels away to reveal a black, soot-like mass of spores, branches die and then the whole tree. Inhaled spores can cause an allergic inflammation of the lungs in people, so have a diseased tree felled by professionals with protective equipment. Sycamore aphids drip sticky honeydew onto cars, paving and furniture below. Tar spot (black blotches on the leaves) is common, ugly but harmless. It seeds itself heavily and seedlings need pulling out of beds regularly.

The data side by side

Feature	Field maple	Sycamore maple
Group	Large tree	Large tree
Size after 10 years	4.5 m × 3 m (uncertain)	8 m × 5 m (uncertain)
Ultimate size	8–15 m × 8–11 m	20–35 m × 12–25 m
Growth rate	Medium (uncertain)	Fast
Light	Full sun, Part shade	Full sun, Part shade
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay, Calcareous	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous, Acidic
Hardiness	down to -29 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)	down to -34 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Heat tolerance	High	Low
Foliage	Deciduous	Deciduous
Flowering	April–May, green, yellow (uncertain)	April–June, green, yellow
Water need	Medium	Medium
Drought tolerance	High	Low
Maintenance	Low	Medium
Planting distance	600 cm	1000 cm
For dogs	Non-toxic (uncertain)	no data
For cats	Non-toxic (uncertain)	no data
For children	Non-toxic (uncertain)	no data
Typical price	about HUF 2,800 (60–100 cm)	about HUF 2,800 (40–60 cm)

Prices are rounded, indicative values. Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor. Data updated: October 17, 2026

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