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Acer negundo
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Box Elder
( Acer negundo )
Acer negundo
More Photos at CalPhotos
More Info at Jepson eFlora
Calflora
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38 Nurseries Carry This Plant
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About Box Elder (Acer negundo)
38 Nurseries Carry This Plant
Add to My Plant List
Box elder (
Acer negundo
), sometimes called boxelder, is a type of maple tree commonly found growing in moist areas near streams and rivers. Box elder is a deciduous tree with pinnate compound leaves (small leaflets that branch out of a single stem). The leaves turn yellow in the fall. Clusters of small flowers appear in spring. The flowers on female trees develop winged fruits called samaras. The flowers attract pollinators and the seeds provide food for birds and small mammals.
Box elder is an attractive tree that provides shade and visual interest in the landscape. Some gardeners prefer male box elders because they are less messy than female trees. Gardeners should also be aware that this tree sends out suckers which can become weedy and invasive. This fast-growing tree needs a large planting area as it can reach over 50 ft tall?and nearly as wide?when mature. It also requires a moderate to high level of moisture, including weekly supplemental irrigation in summer.
Box elder gets its name from its wood, which is used to make boxes and crates. The wood pulp is used in paper making. Like other maples, the tree's sweet sap can be cooked into a syrup.
Calscape, Schmidt, M.G, Greenberg, K.L. (2012). Growing California Native Plants (2nd ed.). University of California Press, Missouri Botanical Garden. Acer negundo. “Acer Negundo - Plant Finder.” Www.missouribotanicalgarden.org, www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a841. “Acer Negundo (Ash-Leaf Maple, Boxelder), North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.” Plants.ces.ncsu.edu, plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/acer-negundo/.
Plant Description
Plant Type
Tree
Size
35 - 66 ft tall
40 ft wide
Form
Upright
Growth Rate
Fast
Dormancy
Winter Deciduous
Flower Color
White, Cream
Flowering Season
Spring, Winter
Wildlife Supported
Attractive to many beneficial insects
Butterflies & moths hosted ( 24
confirmed
, 63
likely
* )
SHOW ALL
Polyphemus moth
Antheraea polyphemus
Antheraea polyphemus
Speckled Green Fruitworm Moth
Orthosia hibisci
Orthosia hibisci
Manto Tussock Moth
Orgyia antiqua
Orgyia antiqua
Spotted Tussock Moth
Lophocampa maculata
Lophocampa maculata
Virginian Tiger Moth
Spilosoma virginica
Spilosoma virginica
Fruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
Archips argyrospila
Archips argyrospila
Salt-and-Pepper Geometer
Biston betularia
Biston betularia
Landscaping Information
Sun
Part Shade, Full Sun
Moisture
Moderate - High
Summer Irrigation
Max 1x / week once established
Nurseries
Carried by 38
Ease of Care
Moderately Easy
Cold Tolerance
Tolerates cold to -15° F
Soil Drainage
Medium, Slow
Soil Description
Tolerates a variety of soils as long as adequate moisture is present. Soil PH: 5.0 - 8.0
Common uses
Bird Gardens, Deer Resistant, Butterfly Gardens
Companion Plants
Use with other riparian trees such as Maples (other
Acer sp.
), Alders (
Alnus sp.
), Dogwoods (
Cornus sp.
), Ash (
Fraxinus latifolia
or velutina), Northern Black Walnut (
Juglans hindsii
),
Cottonwood
(
Populus sp.
), Sycamore (
Platanus racemosa
), Willows (
Salix sp.
), Black
Elder
berry (
Sambucus nigra
), and Bay Laurel (
Umbellularia californica
)
Propagation
?
For propagating by seed: Scarification and 2-3 mos. stratification; use fresh seeds.
Sunset Zones
?
1, 2, 3, 4*, 5*, 6*, 7*, 8*, 9*, 14*, 15*, 16*, 17*, 18*, 19*, 20*, 21*, 22*, 23*, 24*
Natural Setting
Site Type
River/stream edges and wet places in coastal mountains and the central valley, usually as part of a woodland or forest complex
Climate
Annual Precipitation: 5.4" - 63.5", Summer Precipitation: 0.14" - 2.62", Coldest Month: 28.8" - 55.2", Hottest Month: 56.0" - 79.6", Humidity: 0.14" - 27.71", Elevation: 3" - 7419"
Alternative Names
Botanical Names
: Acer negundo var. californicum
Common Names
: Ashleaf Maple, Boxelder Maple, California Boxelder, Manitoba Maple, Maple Ash
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Box Elder
Acer negundo
Sources include:
Wikipedia
. All text shown in the "About" section of these pages is available under the
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License
. Plant observation data provided by the participants of the
California Consortia of Herbaria
, Sunset information provided by
Jepson Flora Project
. Propogation from seed information provided by the
Santa Barbara Botanical Garden
from "Seed Propagation of Native California Plants" by Dara E. Emery. Sources of plant photos include
CalPhotos
,
Wikimedia Commons
, and independent plant photographers who have agreed to share their images with Calscape. Other general sources of information include
Calflora
,
CNPS Manual of Vegetation Online
,
Jepson Flora Project
,
Las Pilitas
,
Theodore Payne
,
Tree of Life
,
The Xerces Society
, and information provided by CNPS volunteer editors, with special thanks to Don Rideout. Climate data used in creation of plant range maps is from
PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University
, using 30 year (1981-2010) annual "normals" at an 800 meter spatial resolution.
Links:
Jepson eFlora Taxon Page
CalPhotos
Wikipedia
Calflora
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