Follow Us!
Douglas-Hart Foundation
  • Home
  • About Us
    • History
    • Foundation & Staff
    • Careers >
      • Education Careers
      • Internship Opportunities
  • Calendar
  • Programs
    • Curriculum & Activities >
      • Book Worms
      • SEED Curriculum
    • Youth Programs >
      • Homeschool
      • Girl Scouts
      • Scouts BSA >
        • Eagle Scout Projects
    • Teen Programs >
      • C.A.R.E. Club
    • Adult Programs >
      • Bird Club
      • Live to Learn
      • Professional Development & Workshops
      • Teambuilding
    • Festivals & Special Events >
      • Earth Day >
        • Native Plant Sale
      • Into the Woods Outdoor Escape Room
      • Haunted Hike
      • Winter Wonderland Walk
    • Field Trips
    • Outreach >
      • Libraries
      • Loan Boxes
      • Speaking Engagements
    • Eco-Meet School Competition
  • Get Involved
    • Memberships >
      • Member Benefits
    • Make A Donation
    • Wish Lists
    • Volunteer
    • Independent Study & Research Request
  • Nature Center
    • Planning Your Visit >
      • Amenities
      • Things To Do
      • Site Features
      • Trails & Hiking >
        • Tree & Shrub Trail
    • Conservation & Stewardship >
      • Solar Panel Production
    • Recycling Services
    • Rentals
  • Friendship Garden
    • Planning Your Visit
    • Historic Timeline
    • Programs
    • Rentals
    • Projects
    • Volunteer at Friendship Garden
  • Whiteside Garden
    • Planning Your Visit >
      • Site Features
    • Before You Visit
    • Rentals
    • Volunteer
    • The Whiteside Garden Plant Database
    • Independent Study & Research Request
​Box Elder is a pretty tree throughout the seasons, but it is most admired in the fall, because of the vivid yellow-orange color. 
Picture
Box Elder (Acer negundo)
Where do saplings go to learn?
  • ​Elementree school!
Did you know?
  • The wood is used to make crates, boxes, furniture, and interior finishing
  • Box Elder produces sap high in sugar content and can be used to produce syrup sometimes called "mountain molasses”
  • Native Americans would eat parts of it and boiled down the sap for syrup, candy, and made a tea from the inner bark to induce vomiting
  • Native Americans used the new branches to make charcoal for ceremonial painting
  • It is a species of Maple—you can tell from the genus name, “Acer”
Picture
Picture
Common Names: 
  • Box Elder 
  • Ash-leaved Maple
  • Box Elder Maple 
  • Western Box Maple 
Wildlife Benefits: 
  • There are 285 species of moths and butterflies that depend on Box Elder to survive their caterpillar stage!
  • Seeds are eaten by many varieties of birds and squirrels
  • Deer feed on the leaves and twigs
Picture
Habitat: 
  • ​Woodlands 
Size:
  • ​35-50' tall, with a crown width of 30-60' 
Growing Conditions: 
  • Full sun to partial shade 
  • Moist, well-drained soil 
Select Identification Characteristics: 
  • Leaf Type: Pinnately Compound
  • Leaf Arrangement: Opposite
  • Bud Arrangement: Opposite
  • Terminal Bud: Single
  • *Stems: Green
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
REFERENCES
Proudly powered by Weebly