BOXELDER (Acer negundo)
Other Names: Ash-leaf Maple
Key ID Features: Leaves, Fruit, Buds, Bark
Boxelder is kind of the "black sheep" of the maple family. It's compound LEAVES resemble ashes, usually with five leaflets. The thickish, purplish or greenish TWIGS have a blue-powdery look to them earlier in the season. BUDS are roundish. The "helicopters" are V-shaped and about 1.5 inches long. Boxelder has male and female trees. The females will often retain some of the helicopters into the winter. The firm BARK is a warm brown and becomes ridged fairly early. The TRUNK is often sweepy with large, low forks. The MEDIUM-SIZED tree is often considered a weed, especially the female trees which can shed large amounts of seed in the summer. In the fall, the tree is associated with infestations of boxelder bugs. They are harmless but are not usually welcome when they invade basements. Boxelder grows rapidly and makes an excellent climbing tree for kids. Boxelder is an aggressive invader of fallow fields and roadside ditches.
I had some large splits of Boxelder under the porch. Decided to see what the moisture content was in them. Figured it would be high because I just scrounged it in the middle of last summer. But I thought I would see something like maybe 25-30% and wait until next fall to burn it. Or maybe late spring for heating the DHW in the late shoulder season. Split two of them open and the moisture meter starting going faster than I had heard it. 44%! 46%! Holy sh!t. I guess it will be next winter for that stuff. It was free, good thing.
Other Names: Ash-leaf Maple
Key ID Features: Leaves, Fruit, Buds, Bark
Boxelder is kind of the "black sheep" of the maple family. It's compound LEAVES resemble ashes, usually with five leaflets. The thickish, purplish or greenish TWIGS have a blue-powdery look to them earlier in the season. BUDS are roundish. The "helicopters" are V-shaped and about 1.5 inches long. Boxelder has male and female trees. The females will often retain some of the helicopters into the winter. The firm BARK is a warm brown and becomes ridged fairly early. The TRUNK is often sweepy with large, low forks. The MEDIUM-SIZED tree is often considered a weed, especially the female trees which can shed large amounts of seed in the summer. In the fall, the tree is associated with infestations of boxelder bugs. They are harmless but are not usually welcome when they invade basements. Boxelder grows rapidly and makes an excellent climbing tree for kids. Boxelder is an aggressive invader of fallow fields and roadside ditches.
I had some large splits of Boxelder under the porch. Decided to see what the moisture content was in them. Figured it would be high because I just scrounged it in the middle of last summer. But I thought I would see something like maybe 25-30% and wait until next fall to burn it. Or maybe late spring for heating the DHW in the late shoulder season. Split two of them open and the moisture meter starting going faster than I had heard it. 44%! 46%! Holy sh!t. I guess it will be next winter for that stuff. It was free, good thing.
Well, that and hopefully no trees fall on anything but the ground.
