Box Elder

Also known as Boxelder Maple, Manitoba Maple, Ash-Leaved Maple

Unusually for a maple, box elder bears pinnately compound leaves that closely resemble ash foliage or poison ivy saplings. It thrives along watercourses and in disturbed soil, growing rapidly to form a spreading canopy that harbors dense colonies of overwintering boxelder bugs. Its lightweight, brittle wood breaks easily under ice or strong winds, allowing it to quickly colonize gaps and regenerate in floodplains.