Montpellier maple
Acer monspessulanum
A tough, unhurried little maple that shrugs off drought and poor rocky ground, giving light shade, tidy hedging wood and quiet, long-term structure to a line.
Montpellier maple in a syntropic line
Montpellier maple belongs in the Medium layer as a Secondary species. The productive heart — most of your yield lives here. Rough in-row spacing starts around 3.2 m in a syntropic row. Good line partners include Butterfly bush, Common sage. As a Secondary species it carries mid-term yield and structure while climax trees slowly claim the canopy.
Tolerances and growing conditions
- Strata
- Medium
- Lifecycle
- Secondary
- Soil preference
- Rocky, Loam
- Soil pH range
- 6 – 8
- Min. temperature
- -15°C
- Min. rainfall
- 400 mm/year
- Wind tolerance
- High
- Frost tolerance
- Medium
- Growth rate
- Medium
- Irrigation needed
- Low
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Waterlogging tolerance
- Low
- Origin
- Mediterranean
- Native to Portugal
- Yes
How to manage it
Drought-hardy small tree for light shade, hedging and windbreaks on rocky ground; formative prune when young to shape a strong trunk.
How to propagate
Seed germinates after cold stratification; softwood cuttings also work.
Guidance, not a guarantee — success varies by species and skill.
What to watch out for
Too slow and low-yield to serve as a fast biomass producer; casts only light shade and needs real space at maturity.
Frequently asked questions about Montpellier maple
Is montpellier maple frost-hardy?
Yes for winter cold in many climates — generally hardy to around -15°C when dormant, with medium frost tolerance in the catalog. Flowering crops can still lose a season to late frost, so site them carefully.
What soil does montpellier maple need?
It does best on rocky, loam ground, at pH about 6–8.
How much water does montpellier maple need?
Plan for a rainfall floor around 400 mm/year, plus low irrigation once established.
Can montpellier maple handle wet or waterlogged soil?
Poorly — montpellier maple has low waterlogging tolerance, so keep it off winter-wet clay and standing water.
What should I watch out for with montpellier maple?
Too slow and low-yield to serve as a fast biomass producer; casts only light shade and needs real space at maturity.
Design your line to see how your land fits Montpellier maple.
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