Leaf Morphology
Leaf Type
Pinnately compound (typically with 3 to 5 leaflets, sometimes up to 7), deciduous
Shape
Ovate to lanceolate leaflets with asymmetrical bases and pointed tips, occasionally lobed
Margin
Coarsely serrate, toothed, or sometimes shallowly lobed
Arrangement
Opposite on the twigs, which is characteristic of the maple genus
Venation
Pinnate venation on each individual leaflet with prominent yellowish midribs and primary lateral veins
Key Features
Opposite, pinnately compound leaves usually with 3 to 5 leaflets; green twigs often with a whitish bloom; drooping clusters of winged seeds
Description
Boxelder is an unusual maple because, unlike most maples with simple leaves, it features compound leaves resembling those of ash trees. It is a fast-growing, medium-sized deciduous tree with a somewhat irregular and messy crown, pale grey-brown furrowed bark, greenish twigs, small dioecious flowers in drooping clusters, and winged samaras that persist into winter.
Habitat
Found primarily along streams, rivers, floodplains, and disturbed moist soils, but highly adaptable and drought-tolerant once established
Native Range
Native to a vast region of North America, stretching across most of the United States, parts of Canada, and into Mexico; widely naturalized globally