Boxelder is a member of the Maple Family. The word acer is the classical Latin name of maple. The word negundo is from the Malayan common name of Vitex negundo L., negundo chastetree, later applied to this species.
Other Common Names: acecincle, acero Americano, acero negundo, acezintle, arce, arce fresno, arce negundo, ashleaf maple, ash-leaved maple, ash maple, asklonn, aune-buis, black ash, boxelder maple, California boxelder, Californian boxelder, californische esdoorn, cutleafed maple, erable a feuilles de frene, erable aux feuilles de frene, erable negundo, eschenblattriger ahorn, inland boxelder, manitoba maple, maple ash, negundo, negundo maple, palo de venagre, plaine a guiger, raxoch, red river maple, soft maple, stinking ash, sugar ash, threeleafed maple, veder-esdoorn, western boxelder.
Distribution: Lower elevations in North America, extending through Mexico into Guatemala, excluding Pacific Coast states and south central Canada.
The Tree: Boxelder is a maple which can reach a
height of 70 ft (21 m) and a diameter of
3 ft (1 m). The trunk can be short and poorly formed, dividing
into several main branches. Boxelder is fast growing, short lived
and easily transplanted. The tree is prone to injury from wind,
heart rot and insects. It has green twigs and compound leaves
(ash-like), separating it from other maples. It grows best in
lowland areas along rivers and grows with cottonwood, willow,
maple, sycamore and tupelo.
General Wood Characteristics: The heartwood is yellowish brown, while the sapwood is greenish yellow to creamy white. Red streaks are composed of a pigment from a fungus (Fusarium negundi). The wood is light, soft, porous, close-grained and weak. It is susceptible to heart rot. It can contain a curly figure.
Weighta
Weight
Moisture Specific lb/ft3 kg/m3
content gravity
Green 0.416 32 513
12% 0.457 NA NA
Ovendry 0.501 NA NA
aReference (90).
Mechanical propertiesa
Property Green Dry
MOE 0.87 106 5.998 GPa NA NA
lbf/in2
MOR 5.22 103 35.992 MPa NA NA
lbf/in2
C| | 2.37 103 16.341 MPa 4.95 103 34.130 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
C 0.34 103 2.344 MPa 0.78 103 5.378
lbf/in2 lbf/in2 MPa
WML 0.90 63.434 kJ/m3 NA NA
in-lbf/in3
Hardness 540 lbf 2,401.92 N 720 lbf 3,202.56 N
Shear| | 0.94 103 6.481 MPa 1.36 103 9.377 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
aReference (90).
Drying and shrinkagea
Percentage of shrinkage
(green to final moisture
content)
Type of 0% MC 6% MC 20% MC
shrinkage
Tangential 7.4 NA NA
Radial 3.9 NA NA
Volumetric 14.8 NA 9.4
a Boxelder seasons well without
checking. Reference (90).
Kiln drying schedulea
4/4, 5/4, 8/4 10/4 12/4 16/4
Condition 6/4 stock stock stock stock
stock
Standard T8-D4 T6-C3 T5-C2 NA NA
aReferences (6, 86).
Working Properties: Boxelder is workable with both hand tools and machine tools.
Durability: Boxelder is nonresistant to heartwood decay, being susceptible to heart rot and insects.
Preservation: No information available at this time.
Uses: Boxelder is currently used for inexpensive furniture, wooden ware, boxes, crates, wood pulp, charcoal, fuel and cooperage.
Toxicity: Suspected to cause allergic bronchial asthma and rhinitis (Acer spp.) (40).
Additional Reading: 29, 55, 68, 74.