Box Elder







Acer negundo

COMMON NAME:  Box Elder, Ash Leaf Maple

DESCRIPTION:  Box Elder grows 30'-60' high and 30'-40' wide.  Its leaves are usually light green and pinnately compound having 3-7 leaflets.  If the leaves were fused together they would look like a maple leaf.  The tree does produce a lot of the "helicopters" that most maples produce.

NATIVE RANGE:  Box Elder is native to much of the United States.  It grows along water ways and in moist areas.

CULTURE:  The tree grows about anywhere.  It can tolerate almost any growing condition.  It is very weak wooded and also relatively short lived.

DISEASE AND INSECT:  Box Elder is very susceptible to Box Elder Bug.  Growing the trees can introduce the pest to other plants.

LANDSCAPE VALUE:  Box Elder has only very limited use in the modern landscape, because off its profuse amount of seeds, weak wood, and susceptibility to Box Elder Bug.  It can be tried where no other tree will survive.  Some of the better cultivars of the tree include 'Sensation' and 'Variegatum'.  Sensation has much better shape and stronger wood than the species and it will get 25'-30' high and wide.  Variegatum is an excellent tree if you like the varigated look, it will get to be the same size as "Sensation".