| Boxelder is a distinctive maple of stream banks with distinctive green twigs and compound leaves reminiscent of poison-ivy or ash. An alternate common name is Ash-leaved Maple. Chapel Hill, NC 5/2/2009.
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| The leaves are quite easy to tell from those of poison-ivy -- they're opposite, borne on green twigs, and most often have 5 leaflets per leaf (normal range is 3-7), while those of poison-ivy are alternate, not borne on green twigs, and have 3 leaflets per leaf. Blacksburg, Montgomery Co., VA 7/13/07.
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| Durham Co., NC 5/3/08.
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| There are five varieties of A. negundo in the United States. In North Carolina var. negundo (with glabrous [smooth] twigs) is by far the most common; var. texanum (with puberulent [hairy] twigs) is rare in the western Mountains. Orange Co., NC 4/20/03.
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| Female flowers in early spring turn into long clusters of paired samaras. Granville Co., NC 4/27/03.
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| Long, pendant staminate (male) flowers appear slightly before the female flowers. Durham, NC 3/19/2011.
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| Staminate flowers. Durham, NC 3/19/2011.
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| Chapel Hill, NC 5/1/10.
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| Chapel Hill, NC 5/1/10.
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| The bark is shallowly ridged. Blacksburg, Montgomery Co., VA 7/13/07.
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More information:
Silvics Manual
Trees of Alabama and the Southeast
Trees of Wisconsin
Virginia Tech Dendrology
Recommended Tree, Shrub, and Woody Vine Identification Guides
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