Box Elder Maple
(Acer negundo)
Common Names: Box Elder Maple, Manitoba maple, Three-leaf Maple, and Ash-leaved maple
Family: Sapindaceae
Description: A member of the Maple family, this tree is commonly found in wet areas across North America. The leaves are said to resemble poison ivy (Toxicodendron spp.) and young seedlings are often mistaken for poison ivy as well. The leaves have many morphologies and trees are diecious with males producing trailing stamens and females producing flowers and samaras for seeds. These trees are good for planting on the southern side of homes since they are deciduous.
Uses: The young leaves can be eaten fresh as spicy bitter additions to salads or sautéed for cooked greens. With the right conditions, the sap can be used to syrup like the Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum), but takes larger quantities of sap to make syrup. The young leaves can also be used to make a nice spring tea.
References:
Slattery, John. Southwest Foraging. Timber Press, 2016
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