Acer negundo

• BOTANICAL NAME: Acer negundo
• PRONUNCIATION: A-cer  ne-GOON-do
• COMMON NAME:  Boxelder
• FAMILY:  Aceraceae
• NATIVITY:  Southern Canada and throughout the U.S.
• GROWTH HABIT:  Rounded to broad-rounded, weedy tree to approximately 60'.  Fast growth rate.
• HARDINESS:  Zone 2-9
• CULTURE:  Hills, dales, anywhere!  Found in moist bottomland in native range but tolerates hot, dry, acid, alkaline, sandy and clayey soils.  Sun to part shade.
• LANDSCAPE USE:  Good for that impossible site.  A fast growing, suckering tree that is definitely tolerant of urban conditions.  Short-lived, weedy tree.
• FOLIAGE:  Opposite, pinnately compound with 3-5
  (9) leaflets.  Leaflets are 2"-4" long, coarsely serrate. 
  No fall color.
• BUDS:  Green-red buds with 2 scales, 1/4" long.
• BARK:  Green stems when young turning gray-brown.
• FRUIT:  Samaras forming a 60o angle or less, borne in large panicles. 
  Profusely fruiting and persisting into the winter. Dioecious tree.
• PROPAGATION:  Seed, cuttings.  Normally, how to kill it is more important.
• PESTS:  Boxelder bugs.
• CULTIVARS
  • 'Auratum' - Leaflets golden yellow.
  • 'Flamingo' - New shoots pink, age green with white border
  • 'Variegatum' - Leaflets have an irregular white margin. 
    It will revert to green or have all-white leaves if not roperly pruned.