When does Acer negundo bloom?

Acer negundo produces small, inconspicuous greenish flowers in March and April, before the leaves fully expand.

What kind of light does Acer negundo need?

This tree grows best in full sun but tolerates part sun and even part shade, making it adaptable to a range of planting sites.

How much water does Acer negundo require?

It prefers medium moisture but has a wide tolerance, growing well in consistently wet floodplain soils as well as drier upland sites.

What pollinators visit Acer negundo flowers?

Bees, beetles, and flies are commonly seen visiting the flowers, which offer early season pollen and nectar.

What growth form does Acer negundo have?

It grows as a medium sized deciduous tree, often with a spreading, irregular crown and multiple trunks in open sites.

Is Box Elder toxic to livestock?

The USDA PLANTS Database does not flag Box Elder as toxic to livestock.

Is Box Elder HOA-friendly?

Box Elder takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Box Elder

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

Acer negundo

Last reviewed: October 2026

Acer negundo is a fast growing deciduous tree that thrives in full sun with medium moisture, often found along riverbanks and floodplains, blooming in March and April.

Toxicity unknown

Box Elder (Acer negundo) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.

The USDA PLANTS Database (opens in new tab) does not flag Box Elder as toxic to livestock.

Light

full sun

Water

medium

Size

420"–720" H × 360"–600" W

Bloom

Mar, Apr

Native to

AL, AR, AZ, CA and 43 more states

Pollinators

bees, beetles, flies, moths

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Browse plants for this ecoregion

Coast Range Puget Lowland Sierra Nevada Central California Foothills and Coastal Mountains Central California Valley Southern California Mountains Northwestern Forested Mountains North American Deserts Central Basin and Range Mojave Basin and Range Southern Rockies Arizona/New Mexico Mountains Chihuahuan Deserts High Plains Southwestern Tablelands Central Great Plains Great Plains Cross Timbers Edwards Plateau Texas Blackland Prairies East Central Texas Plains Western Gulf Coastal Plain South Central Plains Eastern Temperate Forests Ozark Highlands Central Irregular Plains Northwestern Glaciated Plains Northwestern Great Plains Piedmont Northern Glaciated Plains Western Corn Belt Plains Northern Forests Northern Lakes and Forests North Central Hardwood Forests Driftless Area Southeastern Wisconsin Till Plains Central Corn Belt Plains Eastern Corn Belt Plains Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains Huron/Erie Lake Plains Northeastern Highlands Northeastern Coastal Zone Northern Allegheny Plateau Erie Drift Plain Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Piedmont Southeastern Plains Blue Ridge Ridge and Valley Central Appalachians Western Allegheny Plateau Interior Plateau Interior River Valleys and Hills Mississippi Alluvial Plain Mississippi Valley Loess Plains Southern Coastal Plain Madrean Archipelago Sonoran Basin and Range Eastern Great Lakes Lowlands Atlantic Coastal Pine Barrens Southern California/Northern Baja Coast

Ash-leaf maple is a fast-growing native tree with compound leaves that resemble those of ash trees. This adaptable species can reach 20-50 feet tall and wide, making it suitable for larger landscape areas where quick shade is desired.

Growing Box Elder

Grow Box Elder in full sun and medium water. Mature plants reach 420 to 720 inches tall and spread 360 to 600 inches wide. Expect high maintenance to keep it looking intentional in a front yard.

In an HOA neighborhood

Box Elder takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: high. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Works well in: backyard only.

Often considered weedy due to aggressive self-seeding
Brittle wood prone to storm damage
Can look unkempt with irregular branching

Wildlife value

Host plant for Luna moth, Cecropia moth, Viceroy butterfly.

Early spring flowers provide nectar for bees, beetles, and flies when few other sources are available. The seeds are eaten by birds and small mammals.

Common questions

When does Acer negundo bloom?: Acer negundo produces small, inconspicuous greenish flowers in March and April, before the leaves fully expand.
What kind of light does Acer negundo need?: This tree grows best in full sun but tolerates part sun and even part shade, making it adaptable to a range of planting sites.
How much water does Acer negundo require?: It prefers medium moisture but has a wide tolerance, growing well in consistently wet floodplain soils as well as drier upland sites.
What pollinators visit Acer negundo flowers?: Bees, beetles, and flies are commonly seen visiting the flowers, which offer early season pollen and nectar.
What growth form does Acer negundo have?: It grows as a medium sized deciduous tree, often with a spreading, irregular crown and multiple trunks in open sites.
Is Box Elder toxic to livestock?: The USDA PLANTS Database does not flag Box Elder as toxic to livestock.
Is Box Elder HOA-friendly?: Box Elder takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

These answers were drafted with an AI model from this plant's data. Verify care details with a local expert.

Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

If something looks wrong

Common plant problems, and what to check first

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