Boxelder Maple
Acer negundo · Deciduous Broadleaf Hardwood
Plant Family
Sapindaceae
Tree Category
Shade Tree / Forest Tree
Variety / Cultivar
Standard species (Acer negundo var. negundo)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 2 through 9; highly adaptable to extreme cold and varied soil types including clay.
About This Tree
A fast-growing, medium-sized tree with a wide-spreading, rounded, and often irregular crown. Unlike most maples, it features compound leaves. It is often short-lived and multi-stemmed in certain environments.
Leaf Characteristics
Pinnately compound with 3 to 5 (occasionally 7) leaflets. Leaflets are ovate to lanceolate, light green, coarsely serrated or lobed, and arranged oppositely on the stem. Fall color is typically a pale yellow.
Bark Characteristics
Gray to light brown; relatively smooth when young, becoming deeply furrowed and ridged with age. Older bark can develop a blocky or braided texture.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to North America (widespread across the United States and Canada)
Growing Season
Flowering occurs in early spring before or during leaf-out; seeds (samaras) mature in late summer and often persist through winter. Enters dormancy in late fall.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun to partial shade. High water needs; prefers moist to wet soils and is commonly found along riverbanks and floodplains.
Mature Size
Mature height of 35-50 feet with a similar spread. Growth rate is fast, especially when young, with a trunk diameter of 1-3 feet.
Special Characteristics
Highly drought and pollution tolerant. Known for brittle wood that is prone to storm damage. It is a dioecious species (male and female flowers on separate trees).
Wildlife & Ecology
Provides critical early-season nectar for bees. Seeds are a major food source for squirrels, grosbeaks, and other birds. Host plant for the Boxelder Bug (Boisea trivittata).