Box Elder Tree

...of Steven F. Austin State Park

---

---

---

Box Elder Tree
Native Range Map

Texas native, found all over the park, but more frequently in wetter areas such as the bottomland forest.

The leaves of this maple family tree are similar to the leaves of poison ivy. Box elders are actual self-supporting trees with a stalk/trunk, whereas poison ivy is a floppy vine that needs support. Box elder leaves are similar in shape and can appear in groups of three as well as groups of five. Poison ivy leaves always appear in groups of three. This tree is a member of the Maple family. As such the springtime sap can be tapped, then boiled down into a mildly sweet syrup.

The scientific name is Maclura pumifera.

Box Elder Tree - Fall foliage