Boxelder
Acer negundo
Aceraceae


Landscape Uses:

Medium tree for moist, natural landscapes.

Ecological Restoration Notes:

Availability:
Available at native plant nurseries in northeast Florida.
Description:
Small to medium deciduous tree. Typically branches close to the ground. Compound leaves 2-4 inches long.
Height:
Typically 30-50 feet in height with a 25-40 feet spread; to 74 feet in Florida. Taller than broad.
Growth Rate:
Fast
Range:
Widespread in North America south to Brevard, Osceola, and Hillsborough counties; Mexico. For a digitized image of Elbert Little's Florida range map, visit the Exploring Florida website.
Habitats:
Floodplain forests, wet hammocks, stream banks.
Soils:
Moist to seasonally wet, well-drained to poorly-drained sandy or limestone soils, with humusy top layer.
Nutritional Requirements:
Moderate; can grow in nutrient poor soils, but needs some organic content to thrive.
Salt Water Tolerance:
Low; does not tolerate flooding by salt or brackish water.
Salt Wind Tolerance:
Low; salt wind may burn the leaves.
Drought Tolerance:
Moderate; generally requires moist soils, but tolerant of short periods of drought once established.
Light Requirements:
Full sun to light shade.
Flower Color:
Greenish yellow
Flower Characteristics:
Inconspicuous.
Flowering Season:
Early spring.
Fruit:
Two-winged samara
Wildlife and Ecology:
Horticultural Notes:
Wood is brittle.
Comments:
We have been adding data for this species for central and northern Florida and welcome any feedback or review. If you would like to contribute information or images, please contact George Gann via the IRC staff page.


Shirley Denton
Shirley Denton
Noah Frade via iNaturalist