Boxelder is a deciduous tree in the maple family (Sapindaceae) and has the greatest range of all the maples. In North Carolina, it grows from the upper coastal plain into the piedmont and mountain regions. The tree grows 30-50 feet tall and wide with an irregular rounded form. Boxelder tolerates most levels of light except shade, prefers moist locations, often found along waterways, flood plains and wooded areas It is dioecious, having both male and female trees. The male trees are more prized because they are less messy. It is fast-growing and has weak, brittle wood. Its leaves are pinnately compound and there are often 3 leaflets present resembling poison ivy. It is relatively short-lived and can be weedy. It has little commercial value other than as a pulp tree. This tree can be used in naturalized areas along lakes and streams. The sap can be collected for syrup. It is a good choice for a rain garden, children's garden or pollinator garden. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Boxelder bugs eat seeds on female trees but cause little other damage; borers. Anthracnose, powdery mildew, and canker. Weak branches break in high wind or heavy snow load. See potential insect and disease problem fact sheets to the left. The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common maple diseases and insect pests. Quick ID Hints : Opposite, odd-pinnately compound leaves with 3-5 leaflets (different than other maples) 2-4 inches long, lobed, serrated leaves Bright green leaves 30-50' deciduous tree, spread usually equal to height. VIDEO created by Grant L. Thompson for “ Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines for Landscaping ” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Horticulture at Iowa State University . More information on Acer .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Frequent Standing Water | Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry | Occasionally Wet
NC region
Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 30 ft. 0 in. - 50 ft. 0 in. | Width: 30 ft. 0 in. - 50 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
1 - Canopy (>40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Irregular; Rounded
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Lobed; Serrate
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Opposite, pinnately compound, 3-5 leaflets, occasionally 7, ovate or lanceolate, 2-4" long, serrated, lobed, bright green leaflets. Tips are pointed. Petiole is 2-3" long. The underside of the leaf is lighter in color and pubescent. Fall color is not showy.
Fall color
Brown/Copper; Gold/Yellow
Flower color
Cream/Tan; Gold/Yellow; Green; Insignificant
Flower form
Corymb; Insignificant
Flower detail
Flowers appear before the leaves. Male flowers hang in clusters on hairy stalks and the anthers are often red. Female flowers hang in clusters on hairy stems each with a long, 2-parted style, and 3 to 5 sepals. Separate male and female trees.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Brown/Copper; Gold/Yellow; Green
Fruit type
Samara
Fruit size
1-3 inches long
Fruit detail
Samara, appearing in September or October, 1 - 1 ½" long almost twice as long as other maples. Greenish-yellow initially, brown finally; fruit persists into winter and is not particularly attractive. Pairs of samaras are grouped in clusters; 60 degree angle between each pair.
Bark color
Dark Brown; Light Brown
Bark detail
Similar to that of an ash tree, composed of marrow-brown, rounded, interlocking ridges.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Gold/Yellow; Green; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
New growth is lustrous green. Older stems are green to reddish to brownish, waxy covering that can be scratched or rubbed off, leaf scars surround stem. Terminal buds whitish and hairy.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Central and North America
Distribution
Across the US
Wildlife value
Members of the genus Acer support Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south. Adult Imperial Moths do not feed. Attracts bird and butterflies. The young plants are a food source for deer. Birds and small mammals eat the seeds.
Attracts
Butterflies; Moths; Pollinators; Small Mammals; Songbirds
Play value
Buffer; Edible fruit; Pieces Used in Games; Screening; Shade; Wildlife Food Source; Wind Break
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Fruit
Harvest time
Fall; Winter
Fruit type
Samara
Uses (ethnobotany)
The sap has a high sugar content and can be used to produce a syrup, known as mountain molasses. The cambium was used for food by Native Americans, who also boiled down the sap for syrup. The inner bark was used medicinally to induce vomiting. For ceremonial painting, charcoal was used from the new branches. The tree is used to make pulp for paper.