Leaf Morphology
Leaf Type
Compound (pinnately compound, typically with 3 to 7 leaflets), deciduous
Shape
Ovate to lanceolate leaflets with asymmetrical bases
Margin
Coarsely serrate, toothed, and occasionally irregularly lobed
Arrangement
Opposite
Venation
Pinnate venation with a prominent midrib and branching lateral veins on each leaflet
Key Features
Opposite, pinnately compound leaves with 3 to 5 (sometimes 7) leaflets, coarsely toothed margins, and twigs that often have a whitish, glaucous bloom easily scraped off.
Description
Boxelder is an unusual maple because of its compound leaves rather than the typical simple lobed leaves of other maples. It is a fast-growing, medium-sized tree with pale greyish-brown furrowed bark, dioecious flowers appearing in drooping clusters, and winged samaras.
Habitat
Found primarily along streams, rivers, floodplains, and disturbed moist soils, highly adaptable to various moisture and soil conditions
Native Range
Native to a vast region of North America, spanning from the eastern United States across the Great Plains and westward to the Pacific coast, also introduced globally