Montpellier maple is a Mediterranean native that brings Old World charm to temperate gardens across zones 5 through 9. This small, densely branched tree grows 18 to 30 feet tall with a rounded canopy, reaching similar width at maturity. Its defining feature is small, leathery, three-lobed dark green leaves that remain semi-evergreen in mild winters and drop late in the season where winters are cold. Greenish-yellow flowers bloom in May, followed by winged samaras. It tolerates both heat and drought while asking very little from the gardener once established.
Partial Sun
Moderate
5-9
360in H x 360in W
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Moderate
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Small, three-lobed leaves with a distinctly Mediterranean character stay on the tree longer than most deciduous maples, creating visual interest well into fall and sometimes holding foliage through mild winters. The tree's dense branching habit and rounded form give instant structure to a garden without requiring fussy pruning, and its proven ability to handle heat, drought, and poor soils means it thrives where other shade trees struggle. Dense foliage and modest mature size make it equally suited to a street planting or a small residential yard.
Montpellier maple serves as both a shade tree and a street tree, valued for its compact size, dense foliage, and ability to thrive in difficult urban and dry-climate conditions where larger maples falter. Its rounded form and moderate growth habit suit residential landscapes, parking areas, and streetscapes where space is limited and reliable performance matters.
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Montpellier maple's dense, naturally rounded branching habit requires minimal pruning. Shape young trees lightly to establish a single leader if desired, but the species naturally develops an attractive form without intervention. Thin crossing or crowded branches only as needed to improve air circulation or remove dead wood.
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“Acer monspessulanum originates from the Mediterranean region, its range extending from warm southern zones northward into France and Germany, where it adapted to the rocky, often lean soils and warm, dry summers of that climate. The common name references Montpellier, a city in southern France, marking both its geographic center and the region that has cultivated it for centuries as a valued ornamental and sheltering shade tree.”