Acer

 

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Key Characteristics: Trees or shrubs with opposite leaves. Except for box elder, all examples on campus have simple, palmately veined and lobed leaves. Box elder has pinnately compound leaves with 3 to 5 (but occasionally more!!!) leaflets. Box elder may be confused with ash. However, box elder's bark on current year's growth is glaucous-green or purple, and the apical bud aborts. Box elder also has an asparagus-like aroma when the twig is broken. All members of this genus have distictive helicopter-like fruits (samaras).

• Link to Acer master image directory
• Link to Directory of Acer Species

Common trees in this genus on campus:

Box elder (Acer negundo) - common on the edge of Bascom Woods.

View of bough with fruit

Norway Maple (Acer platanoides) - Common as a street tree on Campus.

Sugar Maple (Acer saccarum) - Common at the Arboretum.

Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum) - Can be found at the edge of Bascom Woods, common in wet areas in Dane County.