The Silver Maple of Zijpendaal

Silver maple is the first tree in this park to do anything each year. It flowers in March, on bare twigs, weeks before the beeches and oaks around it have accepted that winter is over. This one stands southeast of Kasteel Zijpendaal, the manor house at the centre of the park, and the national register dates its planting to between 1860 and 1870. Under history the register has written a single word: unknown. That is the ordinary record of a tree that was bought, planted and then left to grow while the house in front of it collected all the attention. It is a North American species and an uncommon one to find on a Dutch monumental list, which is a good part of why it is on ours. Silver maple grows fast, sheds limbs in storms and is not famous for reaching a great age, so a specimen approaching 160 years in an open park is doing better than the species' reputation. The park is free and open every day. Come in March for the flowers. Come in July and you get the other half of the name, a crown that turns pale silver every time the wind lifts the leaves. Nobody outside the register has written this tree down. If you know who planted it, we would like to hear from you.