Acer negundo, the box elder, boxelder maple, Manitoba maple or ash-leaved maple, is a species of maple native to North America. It is a fast-growing, short-lived tree with opposite, compound leaves.
Acer negundo, commonly known as box elder, is a suckering, fast-growing, weak-wooded, medium-sized, deciduous tree that typically grows 30-50’ (less frequently to 70’) tall with an irregular rounded crown. It is widely distributed throughout the U.S. except in Alaska and Hawaii. In Missouri, it typically occurs in moist to wet soils along streams, river flood plains and low woods (Steyermark). Although it is a maple and produces the familiar maple fruits (paired samaras), it differs from most maples by having odd-pinnate compound leaves (each with 3-5 toothed leaflets) and by being dioecious (separate male and female trees). Leaves with three leaflets are most common. Leaves are light to medium green, turning an undistinguished yellow in fall. Greenish-yellow flowers appear in pendant clusters in spring on separate male and female trees. Flowers are not showy. Genus name is the Latin name for a maple tree.
