The Cretan maple is full of delicate flowers in the Mediterranean Beds.
First introduced to British gardens by Philip Miller of Chelsea Physic Garden in 1752 Acer sempervirens is a native of Greece, Turkey, Syria and Lebanon where it grows in dry maquis and forest margins at altitudes of 1500m above sea level. Reaching 10m in height it bears entire to tri-lobed, leathery leaves which are up to 5cm in length, have a dark upper surface and a paler lower surface. Corymbs of small, lime green flowers are borne in spring, and these produce attractive samara, or keys, which are 1.5cm in length and bright red in their early stage, fading to brown as they mature. A. sempervirens is one of an estimated 150 species of maples from Europe, North Africa, Asia and America, bearing opposite leaves which are often lobed, and winged fruits.