Acer negundo

Common Names

Boxelder, Ashleaf Maple, Manitoba Maple, California Boxelder, Western Boxelder, Boxelder Maple, Box Elder Tree, Box Elder, Ash-Leaved Maple

Summary

Boxelder is a fast-growing deciduous maple native to North America, typically 30–50 ft tall with a broad, rounded canopy and a trunk up to 2 ft in diameter. Leaves are opposite and pinnate with 3–5 leaflets, and fall color is yellow. It is dioecious, with separate male and female flowers, producing long two-winged samaras that persist into winter. Its natural habitats include woodland, wetland, and riparian zones such as stream banks and floodplains.

It prefers full sun to partial shade and tolerates moist to well-drained soils, adapting to a wide range of soil types and moisture regimes; it is fast-growing and drought-tolerant after establishment, short-lived (roughly 30–60 years). It is commonly used in naturalized or disturbed sites, shelterbelts, shade, and erosion control, and requires regular pruning of dead or weak limbs to maintain structure. It can be invasive where it seeds prolifically; pests include boxelder bugs and twig borers, and diseases such as anthracnose and verticillium wilt are noted. Cultivars exist, including seedless and variegated types; hardiness zones 2–9.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

30-50 feet

Spread

30-50 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 3-9

Sunlight Requirements

Full sun to partial shade.

Soil Type

Moist, well-drained soil

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil

Soil pH

No specific ideal pH; broad tolerance from acidic to alkaline soils, observed pH 5.0-8.0.

Bloom Color

Insignificant

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Green with brighter green on the upper surface and paler green underneath.

Fall Foliage Color

Yellow, Orange, Red

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Fast

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Fall

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Stump and root sprouts (vegetative regeneration), Sprouts from damaged areas on the lower trunk (vegetative propagation), Grafting (side grafts, whip and tongue, chip budding)

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, butterflies, moths, and birds