Box Elder (Acer negundo) is in the soapberry family family (Sapindaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 1,073 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.
Nationally it blooms mainly from April to April, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Box Elder: observations by month (U.S.)
About Box Elder
Acer negundo is a species of maple native to North America. In Canada it is commonly known as Manitoba maple and occasionally as elf maple. Box elder, boxelder maple, ash-leaved maple, and maple ash are its most common names in the United States; in the United Kingdom and Ireland it is also known as ashleaf maple.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Box Elder by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 131 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Vermont | 128 | April | Apr–May |
| Pennsylvania | 115 | April | Apr–Apr |
| New York | 104 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Utah | 52 | April | Apr–May |
| Illinois | 49 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Massachusetts | 48 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Wisconsin | 43 | April | Apr–May |
| Maryland | 42 | April | Mar–Apr |
| New Jersey | 36 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Virginia | 29 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Texas | 27 | March | Mar–Mar |
| Ohio | 26 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Colorado | 25 | April | Apr–May |
| Indiana | 19 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Maine | 18 | April | Apr–May |
| Michigan | 18 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Kentucky | 15 | April | Apr–Apr |
| North Carolina | 13 | March | Mar–Apr |
| New Mexico | 12 | April | Apr–Apr |
| New Hampshire | 11 | May | Apr–May |
| District of Columbia | 10 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Georgia | 10 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Tennessee | 9 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Arizona | 7 | April | Mar–May |
| Idaho | 7 | April | Apr–May |
| Mississippi | 7 | March | Mar–Apr |
| West Virginia | 7 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Alabama | 6 | March | Mar–Mar |
| North Dakota | 6 | May | Apr–May |
| South Carolina | 6 | March | Mar–Mar |
| Rhode Island | 5 | April | Apr–Apr |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related wildflowers (soapberry family)
Photography tips
- Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
- Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
- Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
- Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Box Elder?
Nationally, April has the most observations, with the main season from April to April.
Where is Box Elder most often seen?
The most observations come from Minnesota, Vermont, Pennsylvania.