Acer platanoides Drummondii 12L

Acer platanoides 'Drummondii' (Variegated Norway Maple)

An outstanding choice for bold variegated foliage on a large scale, Acer platanoides 'Drummondii' produces deeply-lobed leaves with a rich green centre and broad, creamy-white margins — widely regarded as one of the finest variegated Norway maples available. New leaves emerge with a distinctive pink tinge before settling into their striking two-tone colouring through summer, then turning a vibrant yellow in autumn. Clusters of yellow flowers appear on the bare branches in spring, ahead of the foliage, followed by the characteristic winged samaras.

Vigorous and fast-growing, it forms a dense, rounded, spreading crown and copes well with a wide range of conditions, tolerating chalk, clay, loam, and sandy soils in full sun or partial shade. It's fully hardy and wind-resistant, though a semi-sheltered spot helps protect the young foliage from damage. Given its ultimate size — higher than 12 metres with a spread wider than 8 metres over 20–50 years — it's best suited to larger gardens, parks, or as a substantial specimen tree rather than smaller plots. The main ongoing task is removing any branches that revert to plain green, cutting these out as soon as they're spotted to preserve the variegation.

Each plant is hand-selected before dispatch.