The Ashleaf Maple - Box Elder

Ashleaf Maples (Acer negundo) are also known as Box Elders although this name does a poor job of giving reference to the taxonomic relationships of the species. You see, it’s not an elder. Instead, like other maples, they are in the family Sapindaceae.

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Other names

Other names for the tree include include Ash Maple, Ash-leaf Maple, Black Ash, California Boxelder, Cutleaf Maple, Cut-leaved Maple, Negundo Maple, Red River maple, Stinking Ash, Sugar Ash, Three-leaved Maple and Western Boxelder.

The Poison-Ivy Look-alike

Ashleaf Maples are sometimes misidentified by amateur outdoor enthusiasts as poison ivy. The leaf of the tree often has 3 leaflets that resemble those of poison ivy. Ashleaf Maple is in no way dangerous though and it is easily distinguished with a closer look at the plant.

Description

Tree Size: Small short-lived tree that grows from 10 to 2 m tall.  The trunk has as diameter of 30 to 50 cm.

Branch color: Branches are green in color.  Sometimes the bark on the trunk is pale gray or light brown.  Shots are green with a whitish to pink or violet waxy coating when young.

Leaves: Leaves are pinnately compound and usually have from 3 to 5 leaflets.  Sometimes there are seven present but this is rare.  The leaflets are 5-10 cm long and half as wide.  They have serrate margins
(edges).  The color is light green and they turn yellow in the fall.

Flowers:  The flowers are small and appear in the early spring. Seeds are slender, 1-2 cm long and have incurved wings.  They drop on the fall. The plant is dioecious meaning that there are male trees and female trees.