Box Elder


Photo: Lorna Rose		Box Elder Acer negundo Trees and Shrubs South Australia Region

	This fast-growing green leaf form was a popular street or shade tree. It is also used as an understock for other ornamental grafted maples. Silver and gold variegated forms will also revert back to this green form. They all grow to 9 m to form deciduous shade trees, however, due to their free seeding habit, they are regarded as major bushland invaders.

HOW IT SPREADS Produce masses of 'winged' seeds which are readily carried by wind. Seeds germinate rapidly in gardens, guttering, gaps in paving and driveways etc. Wind transfers them from garden to bushland, parks and reserves.

Removal of these invasive plants is both difficult and costly. Other weedy ash trees to avoid are the flowering ash (Fraxinus ornus) and the European ash (Fraxinus excelsior)





Additional suggested alternatives: ornamental pears (Pyrus cultivars), Australian red cedar (Toona ciliata), evergreen magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), crab-apple cultivars and hybrids (Malus), narrow-leafed bottle tree (Brachychiton rupestris), kurrajong (Brachychiton populneus), Illawarra flame tree (Brachiochiton acerifolius)

Alternative Plants


Photo: Gondwana Landscapes & Consultancy and State Flora]		Brachychiton 'Belladonna', 'Bella Pink', 'Jerilderie Red' or 'Griffith Pink' Brachychiton acerifolius x populneus Trees and Shrubs

	A beautiful native tree evergreen pyramid shaped tree growing to 5-8m high and 3-7m wide depending on the cultivar. The trees have cascades of bright pink to red bells in late spring and early summer. Leaves are bright red when young. The trunk is very large and the green lobed foliage creates a dense canopy.

Photo: Fleming's Nurseries		Crepe myrtle cultivars Lagerstroemia indica cultivars Trees and Shrubs

	Crepe myrtles are prolifically flowering deciduous trees with a sculptural form. Cultivars vary in size from 4 to 8m in height with spreading upright branches. Flowering occurs from mid-summer to autumn, followed by reddish leaves in autumn and peeling cinnamon-coloured bark which appears with maturity. Crepe myrtles are tolerant of a wide range of growing conditions and are resistant to powdery mildew. Popular cultivars include 'Tuscarora', 'Sioux', 'Biloxi', 'Zuni' and 'Yuma'.

Photo: Fleming's Nurseries		Sensation Maple Acer negundo 'Sensation' Trees and Shrubs

	This variety is sterile and does not self seed. Growing to 9 m high with lovely bronze-burgundy growing tips that mature to medium green in summer and become bright red in winter. A beautiful shade tree once established and will tolerate heat and drought.