Boxelder is a fast-growing, medium-sized tree native to North America, typically reaching 30–50 feet in height. It is highly adaptable and commonly found along streams, floodplains, and disturbed sites.

Unlike most maples, Boxelder has compound leaves (leaf made of leaflets) made up of three to five leaflets. Its bark is light gray to brown and becomes furrowed with age. The tree produces small, winged seeds known as samaras (winged seeds), which hang in clusters and persist into winter.

Boxelder is tolerant of a wide range of environmental conditions, including drought and flooding. While it is sometimes considered a weedy species due to its rapid growth, it provides important habitat and food for wildlife. Its leaves turn yellow in the fall before dropping.

Works Cited

Acer negundo (Ash-Leaf Maple, Boxelder) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. (n.d.). Plants.ces.ncsu.edu. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/acer-negundo/

Boxelder. (n.d.). The Morton Arboretum. https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants/boxelder/

Words by Ben Hansen; Photos by Sarah Cote. 2026.