Field maples (Acer campestre) are spread across almost the whole of Europe; North America and West Africa are also its natural growing areas. Field maples are unique among maple trees: also called hedge maples, they grow solitarily and mostly do not exceed shrubs in size, even though they may grow to be 150 years old. When they reach tree size, they produce very beautiful wood: it is much harder, denser and finer grained than that of sycamore or Norway maple. The color of the wood is yellow-brownish to grey-brown, it shines and has a clearly recognizable, fine grain, with no pores. Due to its fine structure, it is one of the most sought-after woods for woodturners and toy makers; it was used for bowls, dishes and cutlery. Curly figured maple is a sought-after specialty of the field maple, which has been highly valued and prized by musical instrument makers for many centuries. The striking grain, which appears to be striped across the grain, is created by the wavy course of the wood fibers in the longitudinal direction. For hundreds of years this is the wood of choice for precious violins, guitars and flutes, also high level furniture is made from this rare wood. Elegant, very lightweight yet sturdy wood for any shape of stick or cane!
