Box Elder Tree

Box elder trees for sale here are Acer negundo, the fast-growing native maple with compound leaves that grows almost anywhere. Trees ship bare-root at 1-2, 2-3 and 3-4 feet, in packs of 25, 50, 100 and 500, to buyers planting windbreaks, shade for wet sites, wildlife edges and reclamation ground.

Box Elder Tree Size, Zones and Sun

Box elder reaches 30 to 50 feet tall with a spread to match, and it gets there quickly. Zones 3 to 9. It takes full sun or part shade, and it grows in clay, loam or sand, wet spots included. Soil rarely has to be perfect.

Box Elder Leaves and Seeds

Most maples have simple, hand-shaped leaves. Box elder doesn't. Each leaf is divided into three to seven leaflets, which is why it's also called ash-leaf maple. Female trees set dangling clusters of winged seeds in late summer that hang on into fall.

Box Elder and Wildlife

Birds and small mammals eat the seeds, deer browse young plants and imperial moth caterpillars feed on the leaves. For other natives that pair well with it, see our guide to native trees for wildlife and pollinators.

Where to Plant Box Elder

Windbreaks, creek banks, field corners, low spots that stall other trees and quick shade for a bare lot are all good fits. Set trees 15 to 20 feet apart for a windbreak. If speed is the goal, our roundup of top fast growing trees shows where box elder stands.

Planting Box Elder Bare-root

Soak the roots for an hour, dig a hole wide enough to spread them and set the tree at the depth it grew. Firm the soil and water deeply. Mulch a ring around the base without piling it against the trunk, and water weekly through the first summer.

Buying Box Elder Trees in Bulk

At 15 feet apart a pack of 25 makes a row about 375 feet long, 100 trees run to 1,500 feet and 500 trees reach 7,500. Packs of 25, 50, 100 and 500 suit anything from a single windbreak to a big reclamation job.

Good to Know About Box Elder

Box elder trees are either male or female. Males don't set seed, so they're tidier, while females drop seed that boxelder bugs like. The wood is soft and brittle, so branches can snap in strong wind or heavy snow, and the tree is on the short-lived side. Plant it away from roofs and drives, and use it where fast growth matters more than a long lifespan.

Box Elder for Syrup and Shade

Box elder is a maple, and its sap can be collected in late winter and boiled down into syrup. For most buyers the draw is simpler: a lot of shade, a lot sooner, on ground where fussier trees fail.

Box Elder Tree Sizes, Packs and Shipping

Box elder trees ship bare-root in November, in 1-2, 2-3 and 3-4 foot sizes and packs of 25, 50, 100 and 500. Volume pricing available. Browse more wholesale trees for sale.