• General: Maple Family (Aceraceae): Boxelder is a small to medium sized tree. Most trees are either male or female, but bisexual flowers occur on some trees. 
• Bark: light gray-brown with shallow fissures.
• Twigs: slender, shiny green, usually glabrous but sometimes hairy; new twigs are often purple/red -- often with white "bloom" that is easily rubbed off.
• Buds: red or green, usually covered with fine white hairs.
• Leaf scars: narrow, but nearly encircling the bud. Scars from opposite buds meet at a point. scars are raised.
• Seed Production and Dissemination: Fruits are winged nutlets (samaras) in a pair, 2.5-4 cm long, clustered on long, drooping stalks.  Crop production begins when trees are 8 to 11 years of age. Ripening takes place from August to October and seeds are wind distributed continuously until spring.

TreeTopics.com © Copyright 2004 - 2023

Send email to KarenW (at) treetopics.com   

Please ask for permission before using my photographs.

TreeTopics.com  Home Page