Click on the images help you identify a box elder.
Form
Height is 30 to 50 feet on favorable soils, with a trunk diameter of up to 36 inches. Trees are rather bushy on poor soils, and limbs and branches are fragile. Somewhat susceptible to fungal disease and insect attack.
Bark
Bark is smooth and green on thin, young branches, turning gray to light brown with age. On older trees, bark is deeply divided.
Leaf
Leaves are opposite on the stem, 5 to 8 inches long, and pinnately compound with three leaflets (rarely five to seven). Leaflets are smooth, lustrous green, and have irregularly toothed margins, often three-lobed. Leaves turn yellow in autumn.
Fruit (seed)
Fruit is a samara, 1 to 1 1/2 inches long. V-shaped pairs are winged, similar to sugar maple but smaller. Fruit ripens in late summer or early fall and often remains on the tree all winter.
Range
Common throughout the state, though less abundant in the northeast. Grows naturally along streams and in cool ravines, helping control erosion. Often a pioneer species, boxelder grows quickly and prolifically. Many young trees are destroyed by grazing and cultivation. Hardy in severe locations, but weak wood is prone to storm damage. Not recommended for planting near buildings. Shade-tolerant.
Wood uses
Wood is creamy white, soft, light, and close-grained. It decays rapidly in contact with heat and moisture. Used occasionally for fuel and has no general commercial value.