Box Elder
Acer negundo
The Box Elder (Acer negundo) is a fast-growing, highly adaptable deciduous tree that breaks nearly every rule of what a maple "should" look like. Unlike its elegant cousins with palmately lobed leaves, the Box Elder bears compound leaves with 3 to 7 leaflets, more closely resembling an ash or elderberry — hence its alternative common name, Ash-leaved Maple. It is one of the most widespread and weediest maple species in North America.
• Typically reaches 10 to 20 meters tall with a short, often crooked trunk and spreading crown
• The only common North American maple with compound (pinnate) leaves
• Dioecious — individual trees are either male or female
• Extremely fast-growing, often weedy and short-lived (50 to 75 years)
• One of the most drought-tolerant maples
Taxonomie
• Extends from southern Alberta and Saskatchewan south through the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains to northern Mexico
• Also native to the eastern United States from New England to Florida
• Found from sea level to approximately 2,000 meters elevation in mountainous areas
• Several subspecies exist across its range, including varieties adapted to the Great Plains, the Southwest, and the Pacific coast
• Also native to parts of Central America (Guatemala)
• Described by Linnaeus in 1753
• Has become naturalized in Europe, Asia, and Australia, where it is often considered invasive
Bark:
• Gray-brown to light brown, developing narrow ridges and furrows with age
• Young bark is smooth and greenish-gray
Leaves:
• Opposite, pinnately compound with 3 to 7 (sometimes 9) leaflets — highly unusual for a maple
• Each leaflet 5 to 10 cm long, lanceolate to ovate, with coarsely toothed margins
• Light green, turning yellow in fall
Fruit:
• Paired samaras in dense, hanging clusters, 2 to 3 cm long
• Wings at an acute angle, often persisting through winter
• Female trees produce abundant, conspicuous seed clusters
Size:
• Typically 10 to 20 meters tall and 30 to 50 cm trunk diameter
• Short-lived, rarely exceeding 75 years
• A pioneer species that rapidly colonizes disturbed sites, floodplains, and forest edges
• Highly tolerant of drought, flooding, and poor soils — among the most adaptable maples
• Wind-pollinated flowers appear in early spring before the leaves
• Seeds are an important winter food source for songbirds, particularly grosbeaks and finches
• Deer and rabbits browse heavily on young shoots and seedlings
• Provides nesting habitat for birds and cavity-dwelling wildlife
• Commonly forms thickets along streams and in disturbed areas
• Roots help stabilize streambanks and control erosion
• Often considered weedy or invasive in cultivated landscapes
• One of the most common and widespread tree species in North America
• Populations are stable and increasing in many areas
• Considered invasive in parts of Europe, eastern Asia, and Australia where it has been introduced
• Not subject to any conservation concern in its native range
• Hardy in USDA zones 2 to 9 — among the hardiest of all maples
• Adaptable to virtually any soil type including heavy clay, sandy, alkaline, and saline soils
• Highly drought-tolerant once established
• Also tolerates seasonal flooding and compacted soils
• Full sun to partial shade
• Very fast growth rate of 60 to 120 cm per year in ideal conditions
• Short-lived and prone to breakage in storms due to weak wood
• Female trees produce copious seeds and can be messy; male trees are preferred for landscapes
• Generally not recommended as a landscape specimen due to its weedy nature and weak structure
Wood products:
• Soft, light, pale wood used for crates, boxes, pallets, and inexpensive furniture
• Historically used by Native American peoples for making bowls, utensils, and tools
• Sometimes used for pulpwood and charcoal production
Ornamental:
• Variegated and golden-leaved cultivars (such as 'Flamingo' and 'Auratum') are grown as ornamental shrubs
• Occasionally planted for rapid shade in harsh climates where few other trees survive
Ecological:
• Valuable for riparian restoration and erosion control
• Provides quick cover on disturbed sites
• Important wildlife food source through its abundant seeds
Wusstest du schon?
The Box Elder is the only North American maple with compound leaves, making it look more like an ash tree than a maple — which is why it is sometimes called the "Ash-leaved Maple." Despite its reputation as a weed tree, it has been cultivated in European gardens since 1688, and several colorful variegated cultivars are prized by gardeners.
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