Box Elder
Acer negundo · Sapindaceae (Soapberry and Maple family)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Leaf Morphology
Leaf Type
Pinnately compound (typically trifoliate or with 5-7 leaflets), deciduous
Shape
Ovate to lanceolate leaflets with irregular lobing or coarse teeth
Margin
Coarsely serrate, toothed, or sometimes shallowly lobed
Arrangement
Opposite
Venation
Pinnate venation with a prominent central midrib and branching lateral veins on each leaflet
Key Features
Opposite compound leaves with 3 to 7 leaflets (distinguishing it from most other maples which have simple leaves), green twigs, and clustered samaras
Description
Box Elder is a fast-growing, medium-sized deciduous tree unique among maples for its compound leaves rather than simple ones. It features pale gray-brown bark, small greenish-yellow wind-pollinated flowers, and winged samaras that hang in drooping clusters.
Habitat
Typically found along streams, rivers, floodplains, and disturbed moist soils, highly adaptable to various moisture and sun conditions
Native Range
Widespread across North America, native to most of the United States and parts of Canada, introduced and naturalized in other parts of the world