Acer negundo
Box elder
(c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · licence
Family: Sapindaceae · Type: Tree · Native
Acer negundo (Box elder) is a native California tree in the Sapindaceae family, recognized by uniquely has compound leaves with separate leaflets.
Box elder is a California native tree found in the California Floristic Province along streamsides and bottomland habitats at elevations below 1,800 meters. Flowering from March to April, this tree produces small, pendulous panicle clusters without petals. Growing up to 20 meters tall with a dioecious habit, it develops distinctive compound leaves with 3 to 9 leaflets. Its leaves are 1 to 2-ternate, with terminal leaflets 4 to 11 centimeters long and 3 to 9 centimeters wide, featuring a green underside that is often felty or sparsely pubescent. The tree's fruit develops distinctive winged seeds that spread at 60 to 90-degree angles.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 6 sympatric species; uniquely has compound leaves with separate leaflets
Habitat and range
Habitat: Streamsides, bottomland
Elevation: < 1800 m
California counties: Kern, Los Angeles, Butte, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, San Diego, Siskiyou, Yolo, Lassen, Sonoma, Marin, Contra Costa, Alameda, Inyo, Monterey, Solano, Santa Cruz, Mono, San Mateo, Stanislaus, Sacramento, Ventura, Santa Clara, El Dorado, Tehama, Merced, Placer, Mendocino, Napa, Lake, San Joaquin
Outside California: United States, southern Canada, southern to South America
Bloom period
Acer negundo blooms Mar-Apr.
How to tell it apart
vs Platanus: Maple fruits are paired helicopters; sycamore has hanging ball-like seed clusters and peeling bark.; vs Liquidambar: Maple fruits split into two wings; sweetgum has spiky round seed balls and star-shaped leaves with pointed lobes.; vs Quercus: Maple leaves have palmate veins radiating from base; oak leaves have pinnate veins branching from midrib.; vs Fraxinus: Maples have simple lobed leaves; ash has compound leaves with 5-9 separate leaflets arranged feather-like.; vs Morus: Maple fruits are dry winged samaras; mulberry produces fleshy blackberry-like fruits and has milky sap.
Frequently asked questions
Is Acer negundo native to California?
Yes. Acer negundo is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Acer negundo bloom?
Acer negundo blooms Mar-Apr.
Where in California does Acer negundo grow?
Acer negundo occurs in Kern, Los Angeles, Butte, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, San Diego and other counties, at elevations of < 1800 m.
What plant family does Acer negundo belong to?
Acer negundo is in the Sapindaceae family, genus Acer.
What habitat does Acer negundo grow in?
Acer negundo grows in Streamsides, bottomland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.