The former Rector of TU Dresden, Professor Hans Müller-Steinhagen, is the patron of the “Tree sponsorships for the TU Dresden campus” initiative. He sponsored the first tree and has supported the initiative since its inception. He always appealed for donations in support of the initiative during anniversaries or festivities at the university.

The field maple won tree of the year in Germany in 2015. Due to its low growth height (up to 15 meters), it is rarely planted in forests, but is often used to line roads and as a free-standing, deciduous ornamental tree in parks and gardens. The field maple is resistant to environmental stress and drought. Its flowers emerge at the same time as its leaves and the flowering period is from April to May. In October, its leaves turn yellow to golden yellow before falling. The field maple is an important source of nutrients for wild bees, a food plant for butterflies and an important food and nesting tree for birds. Its leaves were once used as animal feed.