Is this a Box Elder Maple?

[DonMcJr]

I added 6 more taps yesterday morning...4 of them on Sugar Maples and they all have have 2.5 Gallons since yesterday!

The other 2 are on a big what I thought was a Box Elder Maple but they ain't giving no sap so maybe not...Way up there it has a bunch of brown helicopter seeds...unless another tree has seed's that look the same color from far away (I know it's not an Oak...)....Hey I can see it from my window and I have binoculars....let me go look...

Well I can't tell but took a Pic of the trunk and buckets...

http://www.michiganoutdoorsman.com/MOPhoto/albums/userpics/10005/normal_IsThisaBoxElder.jpg

[happy thoughts]

I wouldn't know a box elder if I fell over one but I think it's going to take more than a pic of the trunk for anyone to take a guess at it. What do the small twigs and their buds look like? Don't try to judge by the suckers, if that's what they are, growing around the trunk you tapped. Those may or may not be from the same tree you're tapped into. The bark kind of looks like green ash to me. Those have helicopter type fruits as well but they are in large clusters, not paired as in maples. It could still be a box elder for all I know.

[SilverLeaf]

I can't tell if it is or not but the bark in your picture looks right. But that's not enough to go off from since ash tree bark and boxelder bark look very close.

The easiest way to tell of course is by the leaves. But that doesn't help you much right now of course, though... :lol:

So there are a couple of other things to check for:
-Are the branches "opposite" or "alternating"? I can't tell from the picture. If they're "opposite" (meaning that the twigs that branch off should come in pairs, one on each side) then its in the maple family and is probably a boxelder
-I don't know how to describe this, but the ends of the twigs (the new growth from the prior year) on boxelders is kind of brown with a distinct purplish hue to it (ash trees are 100% brown). And the tell-tale sign is that they have a very thin layer of this kind of white-ish film on them that you can easily scrape off with your fingernail. No other tree that I know of has that.

Hope that helps!

[Troutman10]

Tough to tell like the others said. Could be an ash or norway maple if I was to guess from the pic.

[milkjugsapper]

-Are the branches "opposite" or "alternating"? I can't tell from the picture. If they're "opposite" (meaning that the twigs that branch off should come in pairs, one on each side) then its in the maple family and is probably a boxelder


Ash trees also have opposite branching, but to my eyes kind of look more blunt and stubby.

[SilverLeaf]

Ash trees also have opposite branching
By golly, you're right!! I never noticed that before - I thought maple were the only ones. I've been tapping boxelders for three years now, and my woods is like 90% ash... funny I've never accidentally snagged one!

[DonMcJr]

It's Funny we'd even have any ash trees left after the Emerald Ash Bore Bug. I have about 50 Dead Ash in my woods and 2 cut down in my front yard...

Everything I looked up tells me it's a Box Elder but the fact of no Sap...guess I'll wait and see if she starts flowing and check this summer...

Thanks!

[Rossell's Sugar Camp]

Are the branches greenish? if they are it is definently boxelder. and th bark looks like boxelder to me.

[SPILEDRIVER]

i have no clue what a box elder looks like but that sure looks like a ash to me

[maple dayes]

i've cut alot of ash for firewood and that dont look like ash to me, pretty sure its a box elder

[DonMcJr]

Yes greenish tips... I believe its a box elder...I didn't check it yesterday so I'm gonna check it today. Maybe the main trunk is dead...not sure.

If there's an ash anywhere around me that is still alive and doesn't look dead with the bark peeling I'd be really surprised.

[happy thoughts]

Don- here's some info and that may help

box elder twig in winter plus other tree identification marks

http://maple.dnr.cornell.edu/kids/tree_box.htm#twigs

And just in case you have an ash that survived -
white and green ash twigs in winter
c shaped leaf scar is white ash ( twig is also greenish in pic)
d shaped leaf scar is green ash

http://ohiodnr.com/Portals/18/trees/imagetrees/ash_gr_bud_lg.jpg
pics

Looks like you guys got hit bad. EAB has only started to reach areas where I live. Sounds likes there's nothing good in store:cry:

[C.Wilcox]

Yes greenish tips... I believe its a box elder...I didn't check it yesterday so I'm gonna check it today. Maybe the main trunk is dead...not sure.


That's a box elder. I've tapped them for years and I can tell you they are a finicky tree. Some days you'd swear they would be pouring sap and there's none. The next day you have to empty buckets at noon or they overflow. Sometimes I'd get lucky and tap a main artery, other times I'd be lucky to get a gallon of sap over the entire season. Just hit or miss really.

[DonMcJr]

Yep it's a Box Elder.... I'm doing pretty good at hitting Maples at least! :lol:

Yeah if them Emerald Ash Borer Get to you "kiss your ash goodbye!" ( ...that's a Good one if I say so myself!)

Put one in a bubble Now and you may have the only in existance soon and be RICH!:cool:

Oh yeah and hey...umm... ( is it normal to lick your plate after French Toast and fresh Maple Syrup?)

[SevenCreeksSap]

Its funny I never licked my plate all my life, but now, when I'm alone, I lick my plate. now that I admitted it, i'm going to start doing it in public.

That looks like a Box Elder, or other name is Ashleaf maple because the multiple leaflets are on the same stem. Any new growth will be green all the way up the stem from last years growth. Only tree like that. I've heard the sap can be stronger flavor but havent tried tapping any.

Ash also have opposite branching but where you are if its alive its probably not Ash.