Acer Negundo Ash Leaved Maple Tree AKA Box Elder, Ashleaf Maple, Manitoba Maple or Elf Maple.
At 25x18m height and spread, the Negundo is a medium sized tree at maturity and considered fast growing. Resistant to pollution and drought, it makes for a great ornamental tree next to desert roads or your average UK household on a water meter. A relatively short lived tree compared to other Acers, you should get around 60 years out of them but some get to 100.
The fruits are of appeal to wildlife so you can expect your garden to be busier with flying or furry things although these could be toxic to horses.
The young shoots are green with a white/pink waxy like coating and turn into smooth but brittle twig. The main stem bark is pale grey to light brown with deep ridges.
Autumn colours are centred around yellow, if this is not the case you probably don't have an Acer Negundo or are colour blind.
If you have had Honey Fungus in your garden previously and looking to plant something resistant then the Acer Negundo is an excellent choice.
Acer Negundo Ash Leaved Maple is supplied at a height of 150cm -250cm in a 5 -20L container, which means that the tree has an already established root system and therefore this tree can be planted any time of the year. Expect a growth rate of around 30-45cm per year.
The options usually available are:
150-200cm : These are usually 2-3 years old and will be 150-200cm tall depending on weather and time of year purchased. Usually pruned to be Half Standard.
200-250cm : These are usually 2-3 years old and will be 200-250cm tall depending on weather and time of year purchased. Usually pruned to be Half Standard.
If the options available are less than those explained above then we are out of stock of that item.
If you require many maple trees then click WHOLESALE MAPLE TREES. These are 40cm to 60cm tall.
Planting Acer Negundo Ash Leaved Maple
Plant in a full sun or partial shade position in fertile and well draining soil in a location that doesn't get below minus 20 degrees centigrade. Acer Negundo Ash Leaved Maple will tolerate most soil conditions to include sand, clay, loam and chalk. If you have a particularly heavy clay soil then consider mixing well rotted manure or compost into the excavated soil. A ratio of 50:50 will be ideal. It will withstand some standing water for short periods of time.
Remove any competing weeds and other plants within 100cm of your Acer Negundo planting spot. Dig a hole as deep as your pot but break up the bottom 5-10 cm to allow the roots to spread a little easier. The purists will tell you to make the hole square to reduce the chances of the roots spiralling round, this is your choice. Make the hole wider than the pot, this is to follow the same principle as breaking up the bottom. Try and plant so the top of the rootball soil is level with the garden soil as you need to avoid bark that was previously exposed to air being buried. If you go too deep, you can always make the top slightly "dished" by having the outer edges higher than the middle.
Water well after planting, at least 20 litres spread around the whole root system. If planting in Summer, especially long hot ones, regular watering will be important. If the soil is dry for the top 10cm or so, it will be time to water.
Keeping nearby weeds down for the first few seasons will help the young Acer Negundo Ash Leaved Maple and this can be achieved with manual removal, mulching, decorative stones, agricultural matting or glyphosate (weed killer).
Pruning Acer Negundo Ash Leaved Maple
Major pruning for this tree should be done between October and December and very light pruning in June. The seasoned gardener may think the dormant period is November to March and start hacking away but the sap starts to rise early Winter hence the specific pruning time frame.
The issue from pruning outside these times is that sap levels are high and bleeding can be an issue. It is always best to prune when you are expecting a few days of dry weather as this aids in the pruning cut healing and reducing the ingress of infection. You should always cut out dead, diseased or crossed over branches in either of the time frames listed.
If you are going to remove a large branch, it is best to do this in stages. This is because you do not want the branch to be cut almost all the way through and for it to then fall and tear bark off the tree. Removing smaller chunks will reduce the risk of this happening. On the final stage, make your first cut from underneath, this also reduces the risk of bark tearing away.
Somewhere Between Dull And Useful Information About Acer Negundo Ash Leaved Maple
The wood is soft and has little value but has been considered for fibreboard use.
Where the tree becomes injured, the protection mechanism stains the wood red.
The sap is also of poor quality and has a strong taste.
Introduced in Europe in 1688.
Due to its success with spreading and establishing seed, some countries view this tree as invasive.
A multitude of uses if you are a Native American.
FAQ Questions About Acer Negundo Ash Leaved Maple
(Q) If I plant this tree in my garden, will it attract Native Americans?
(A) Remove all wandering Buffalo and you should be fine.
Tree Jargon Explained
Half Standard: Around 80-100cm clear stem.
Standard: Around 180-200cm clear stem.
Feathered: Branches for most of the trunk/stem length.
Multi-Stem/Bush: Very little or no clear stem. Multiple branching starting low to the ground.
Rootball: Dug from the field with roots intact i.e. no pot.
Pot: Plastic container that the tree was grown in.
Maiden: 1 year tree that has not been pruned.
Pleached: Foliage a square/rectangle flat shape wired to a bamboo frame with some clear stem.
Screen: Same as pleached but much less/no clear stem.
Multiple Order Discount
Orders over £750 for 150cm+ trees might be discounted by ​​​​​​​contacting us
Ornamental Tree Roots In The Shade e.g. Behind A Fence
It is more important that that foliage (posh term for leaves) receives the sunlight than the roots. So if the canopy of your ornamental tree can sunbathe but the bottom of your tree thinks there has been a nuclear winter then that is ok. You might want to ensure you have good drainage as water and no sun is the start of algae and other such issues.
Early Autumn Leaf Fall
Heat stress, being potted, lack of water, being boxed up for a few days etc can cause early Autumn leaf fall. Once planted, normal service will resume next season.
Do I Need To Stake My Ornamental Tree?
9 out of 10 times the answer will be no, especially if under 200cm tall. However our article on Tree Staking should help guide you.
Climate Change
Climate Change has increased aesthetic foliage issues such as Powdery Mildew, Shothole, Rust, frost damage etc These are not terminal issues and will usually last a season or less. All trees are inspected before being sent out to ensure they are fundamentally healthy and will bounce back.
