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Native Plant Society of Texas

Box Elder

Acer negundo

Other common name(s):

Family:

Sapindaceae (Soapberry Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Texas Blackland Prairies, Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie
Bastrop Lost Pines, Floodplains and Low Terraces2, Northern Post Oak Savanna, Northern Prairie Outliers, San Antonio Prairie, Southern Post Oak Savanna
Balcones Canyonlands
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie
Flatwoods, Floodplains and Low Terraces3, Pleistocene Fluvial Terraces, Red River Bottomlands, Southern Tertiary Uplands, Tertiary Uplands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Tree

Height

35
to
60
ft.

Spread

30
to
50
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Loam, Clay, Moist

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade

Water Requirement

Medium

Native Habitat

Woodland, Wetland or Riparian

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Yellow, Green, Brown

Bloom Season

Spring

Seasonal Interest

Fall Color, Seeds, Nectar, Pollen, Larval Host

Wildlife Benefit

Birds, Moths, Bees

Maintenance

Low maintenance, adaptable. Fast growth rate. It is planted to provide shade and shelterbelts. Works well in a variety of soils. Intolerant of full shade. It is short-lived and easily broken in storms. Leaves provide yellow fall color. Prefers moist woods, stream banks, and floodplains. Propagation: seed.

Comments

Usually a small to medium-sized tree. It doesn’t look like other maples because of its compound leaves with characteristic 3-5 leaflets. Male and female flowers are borne on separate trees before leaves appear. Flowers are several in a cluster, greenish yellow, appearing as the leaves begin to unfold. The fruit are several 1-seeded, winged samaras hanging in long, drooping clusters. Larval host: Cecropia Silkmoth. Although still listed by some in the Aceraceae Family, the majority of botanical organizations now list it in the Sapindaceae Family.

References

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Seed No Treatment Seed is imbibed in water overnight. Seeds are dusted with fungicide prior to planting outdoors in the fall where they undergo natural stratification. Seed collected in the fall. https://npn.rngr.net/renderNPNProtocolDetails?selectedProtocolIds=aceraceae-acer-1120

About the Region

Fall Symposium 2025 Logo - Teach for the Future

Salado, the location of our Fall 2025 Symposium, lies at the intersection of two ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau (Limestone Cut Plain) and Blackland Prairie (Northern Blackland Prairie).

The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our four host chapters (New Braunfels, Lindheimer, Guadalupe, and the Hill Country chapters) are located in one or both of the ecoregions above. However, the eastern portion of Guadalupe County also falls within the Post Oak Savanna ecoregion. Annual rainfall averages 35 to 45 inches, with higher averages to the east. A wide variety of hardwood trees are found, including several species of oaks, elms, and in the Bastrop area, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda). Grasses and forbs dominate in the open savannas, with most common grass being little bluestem. Ranching, agriculture, and fire suppression have allowed woody species to encroach on the once-open savannas.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason