Boxelder Maple
Acer negundo · Deciduous, broadleaf, hardwood
Plant Family
Sapindaceae
Tree Category
Shade Tree, Forest Tree, Native
Variety / Cultivar
Wild type species, variable habit without a specific named cultivar in this specimen
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 2 through 9, showing high tolerance for diverse climates and environmental stressors
About This Tree
A medium-sized, fast-growing tree with a rounded, often irregular or multi-stemmed crown and weak wood. Features rough, furrowed bark and distinctive compound leaves.
Leaf Characteristics
Pinnately compound leaves, usually with 3 to 5 leaflets, opposite arrangement, margins coarsely toothed or lobed, medium green turning dull yellow in fall
Bark Characteristics
Light gray to brown bark, becoming deeply furrowed and scaly with interconnected ridges as the tree matures
Growing Information
Origin Region
North America, widely distributed across the United States and parts of Canada and Mexico
Growing Season
Spring leaf-out and flowering in April to May, producing samaras in late summer, dropping leaves in autumn
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun to partial shade; highly adaptable to various moisture levels from wet soils to moderate drought once established
Mature Size
Height of 30 to 50 feet with a similar spread, fast growth rate, relatively short-lived compared to other maples (typically 60 years)
Special Characteristics
Highly adaptable, tolerates poor soils and urban pollution, but prone to storm damage due to weak wood and boxelder bug infestations
Wildlife & Ecology
Provides nesting sites and cover for birds, seeds are consumed by finches and small mammals, and sap is utilized by various insects and birds