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Jesse Saylor
Aceraceae
ACER negundo
Ash-Leaved Maple, Boxelder
Box elder is a medium-sized to large, fast growing, short-lived deciduous tree native to many regions in North America. Typically low-branched with furrowed light gray to gray-brown bark, it bears bright green, compound leaves with three or sometimes five leaflets. Inconspicuous greenish yellow flowers emerge with the leaves. Male and female flowers occur on separate trees. Box elder is rarely grown as a landscape tree due to its weedy, weak-wooded nature, but a few cultivars with unique ornamental features are available, including 'Variegatum', which has ivory variegated leaf margins.
Box elders are tolerant of a wide range of soils, fertile or poor, wet or dry, but do best when grown in full to part sun. These trees tend to self sow, so avoid planting them near beds and borders. Most practical use could be as a windbreak row. Unique cultivars may be planted as specimen trees.
8 - 3
2 - 8
A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Tree
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial Shade
30'-50' / 9.1m - 15.2m (40)
20'-30' / 6.1m - 9.1m (25)
Early Spring, Spring
North America, United States, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Texas, Canada
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Average
Clay, Loam, Sand
Wet Site, Pollution, Drought, Soil Compaction
Fast
Average Water
Oval/Rounded
Spring, Fall
Insignificant
Red, Yellow Green, Dark Red
Green, Tan
Green, Light Green
Green
Yellow, Yellow Green, Brown
Brown, Gray
No
Yes
Medium
Matte
Fissured
Screening / Wind Break
Sometimes
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