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• Method 1 of 3: Identify the tree on the basis of bark and branches
• Method 2 of 3: Identify the tree based on the leaves
• Method 3 of 3: Identify on the basis of flowers and fruits

The common maple occurs naturally in Central and Southern Europe, but now also grows in the Netherlands and Belgium. These huge, fast-growing trees are loved for their shade and resistance to splitting. A close look at the bark, leaves, and fruits of a tree can help you determine if you have found a maple.

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Method 1 of 3: Identify the tree on the basis of bark and branches

1. Watch for flaking bark. A maple's bark is brittle and cannot keep up with the tree's rapid growth. As a result, the bark often falls off, resulting in an irregular, flaky appearance.
2. Note the "camouflage" colors in the bark. As the older bark falls off and the younger bark becomes visible, the bark will have a variety of colors - brown, green, oak and white. This gives the tree a distinctive pattern that resembles army camouflage.
3. Note a massive, dome-shaped canopy. The crown or crown of a maple can reach more than 18 meters wide and 24 meters high. The twigs and leaves fill this space so that it forms a large dome.
4. Inspect the width of the trunk. While not the tallest tree, the maple grows to a larger diameter than many other trees, so look for a trunk diameter of 1-2.5 meters.
5. Look for twigs that are zigzagging. The twigs that grow from the branches will go in one direction and then change direction immediately after a bud has emerged. This creates a zigzag shape that looks a bit like a lightning bolt.

Method 2 of 3: Identify the tree based on the leaves

1. Note five different lobes. A lobe is a separate part of the leaf that grows out of the central point, much like the fingers of your hand. Most maple leaves have five large lobes, each with its own separate vein that runs along it.
   • Some maple leaves have only three lobes, but five is more common.
   • From the tip of a lobe to the end of the opposite one, maple leaves are often over four inches wide.
2. Look for a single sheet stuck in one place. Plane trees also have different leaves, which means that a single leaf is attached to the trunk in one spot, and the leaves alternate from side to side as you move along the stem.
   • This is in contrast to two leaves attached to the stem in the same location, which is referred to as an opposite leaf position.
3. Feel if the edge is slightly irregular. The leaves will have many rounded "teeth" along the edges and will appear slightly jagged.
4. Look for a dark green or yellow color. In the spring and summer, the leaves will be dark green. In the fall, they will turn yellow before falling off for winter.

Method 3 of 3: Identify on the basis of flowers and fruits

1. Inspect the tree for small, woody balls. In the fall, the esdorn produces a small, woody ball on a long stem, the fruit. The maple produces these as single, sinuous growths, while non-native hybrids may have two or three of these hanging from a stem.
2. Look for "helicopter" seeds. Maple seeds are found in V-shaped pairs often nicknamed helicopters because of the way they spin and spin when they fall from the tree.This allows the tree to spread over a wider area as the seeds can float further away. Look for them in clusters at the end of twigs, or on the ground under the tree.
3. Look for small, yellow-green flowers. Maples have both male and female flowers on the same tree, although they grow on different stems. They have a white stem and very small, thin petals, which are light green or yellow.