Norway Maple or Acer Platanoides belongs to the Sapindaceae family of trees and are native to Central and Eastern Asia along with some parts of Europe and considered to be invasive in North America. The Norway Maple is considered to be a small to medium species growing up to a height of 60 to 100 feet.
Let’s take a look at how to kill Acer Platanoides and their root system.
How to Kill Norway Maple Trees?
Some of the most popular methods of killing Acer Platanoides are:
- Foliar Spray
- Cutting the tree down and treating the stump with Herbicides
- Gridling or ring barking
- Basal Bark treatment
- Injecting the tree with killing chemicals
- Cut surface treatment
Some of these methods are very interesting though these are not the main topic of the article. If you wish to learn more about killing trees click here.
The best way to kill a small Norway Maple
Some small Acer Platanoides will only grow up to 15-25 feet tall. Because of their invasive nature, they should be killed as fast as possible.
The first method is to cut down the tree using either an ax or a saw. after cutting down the Norway Maple, treat the stump with a herbicide to kill the root system of the tree and prevent any sprouting. (Recommended products on this page)
You can use concentrated Roundup or Tordon RTU as they are the most effective herbicides for the job.
Cutting down a small tree should not be an issue in most cases, and you can remove it yourself, but if you are not up to cutting down the tree, there are some other options you can go for.
Foliar Spray Method
The other method you can go for is the Foliar Spray method. This is only applicable if the Foliage of the tree is reachable by the sprayer.
For this method, you will need a backpack sprayer and a herbicide to go along with it.
Make sure there is no wind during this as the herbicide can get carried away. The leaves of the tree should be dry before spraying the herbicide to maximize absorption.
- Use an effective herbicide like Roundup, Triclopyr or Ortho, which you can find here.
- Spray the leaves of the Acer Platanoides with the herbicide. With this species, it will take multiple coatings of the herbicide to get the job done.
- The herbicide will be absorbed by the leaves and transported to the roots, effectively killing the tree over time.
The third method is the Basal bark Treatment, keep in mind that you can only use this method if the diameter of the trunk is less than 6-7 inches in diameter.
Basal Bark Treatment
As for the previous method, you will need a backpack sprayer for spraying the chemical, a strong herbicide, and an oil-based solvent.
Ideally, you should choose herbicides that contain Trycloper or Trycloper Ester as the main chemical or use Imazapyr-based herbicides. For example, Garlon 4 Ultra, Relegate, Forestry Garlon XRT, Aligare Trycloper are good choices, but not available in all states.
Because of this, I would recommend using Triclopyr from Amazon (Affiliate link).
The solvent to mix the herbicide in would be diesel, basal oil, fuel oil, or kerosene.
Some types of herbicides in the market can directly be used for this method without needing to mix with anything like ‘Pathfinder II’. There is a number of options on the market so make sure to read the label before using them.
- Mix 1 part herbicide with 4-part oil carrier, so about 20-25 percent consentartion
- Once you have the solution, spray the bottom 20 inches of the Acer Platanoides tree with this solution and let it dry out.
- Repeat this process a few times for faster absorption.
- Make sure that the tree is not wet while performing this technique as the chemicals can be hydrophobic, which means they will not be absorbed as effectively
The best way to kill a large Norway Maple tree
A large Acer Platanoides can grow up to 100 feet tall.
You can use two methods together to speed up the killing process- Ringbarking along with the Chemical Injection method.
Ringbarking
Ringbarking alone would be the easiest and the most efficient method for killing a large Acer Platanoides as it will stop the nutrient flow from the roots to the stems. However, this method alone can take a few years to kill a tree completely, so it is recommended to use an herbicide and combine a couple of methods together.
- You will need to either get a ax or chainsaw for this method.
- Remove a ring of bark around the circumfence of the entire tree, about 4-8 inches wide to expose cambium layer of the Norway Maple.
- Spray consentarted herbicide along the exposed bark. Tordon RTU would be the best option to use.
Chemical Injection
- You will need a drill and a herbicide for this method.
- Drill holes, 2-3 inches deep along the circumference of the Acer Platanoides, about 2-3 feet above the ground. Make the angle of the holes downward.
- Inject a strong herbicide like Roundup or Tordon RTU into these holes and let it absorb. This can be a good option to use here.
- After about an hour, inject more herbicide into these holes to increase the amount of chemicals absorbed.
What’s the best time to kill Norway Maple?
The best time to kill Norway Maple is during the winter season. They shed their leaves by early fall and grow new ones by spring. The nutrient requirement of a tree is at its peak while producing new leaves and flowers. Killing the tree during the winter season will stop this nutrient supply for spring which will speed up the killing process.
On the other hand, if you are intending to simply cut down the tree then you can do it throughout the year.
Should you hire a professional tree removal service?
If Acer Platanoides is small, you can manage to get it killed by yourself. On the other hand, if the tree is big, it can get quite tricky if you need to cut it down.
From killing a tree to getting it cut down and transported, there are a lot of factors to consider:
- Where the tree is located
- Do you need to remove and kill one tree
- Do you have the tools and skills to complete the job
- How and where are you going to recycle the tree
- Do you need to remove the stump
The cost factor plays an important role. Figuring out all of these separate logistical details can turn out to be expensive and time-consuming.
If you are considering hiring a professional, I have an article about how much tree removal services usually cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you kill a Norway Maple without cutting it down?
Although it is not recommended to kill Norway Maple without cutting it down, it can be done. For small trees, you can use foliar spray and for a mature tree you can use girdling along with a chemical injection method.
Which chemicals are most effective on Acer Platanoides?
Glyphosate and Triclopyr are known to be very effective on Norway Maples.
Can you use rock salt to kill Cydonia Oblonga?
Rock salt can be used to kill small Norway Maples. The salt should be stuffed into holes drilled into the tree. It will disturb the natural nutrient flow within the tree, in some instances killing it.
Conclusion
A small Acer Platanoides or Norway Maple can be killed using Foliar Spray. For bigger trees, you can use Girdling along with the Chemical Injection method. Alternatively, you can cut down the tree and treat the stump with a herbicide to kill the tree and its root system.
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