Samara, in pairs; September to October; persist into winter
Range:
N. America
Habitat:
deciduous forests
Description:
Acer negundo, or the boxelder maple, is the only maple with divided leaves. Its three to seven light green leaflets have a similar appearance to some ash trees, giving it one of its other common names, the ash-leaved maple. When young, the three leaflets can be confused for poison ivy. A. negundo is also unique among maples for having separate male and female trees. The male trees produce copious pollen, and the female trees produce non-showy green-yellow flowers which turn into samsaras in the fall and often remain on the tree through winter.
Boxelders have many historic uses. Its soft wood was used to make boxes, crates, and low-quality furniture. Various Native American tribes used boxelder in many ways, with one of the more common being refining its sap to produce syrup or sugar. The wood of this tree was also used to make the oldest known wooden flutes in the Americas, found in Arizona and dated to 620-670 CE.
Hardiness:
-50 - 40 F
Bloom Time:
March
Ethnobotanical Uses:
Pulp; rough lumber; sugar and syrup ("mountain molasses"); edible inner bark; twigs used for cerimonial purposes; charcoal for painting and tattooing. Used to make flutes.
