Box elder
Acer interius
Family: Sapindaceae
What it is like
A shrub or small tree. It grows 5 m tall. There are prickles along the stem. The leaves are twice divided and there are 8-18 pairs of pinnae. There are up to 50 pairs of pinnules on each pinnae. The flowers are yellow. They are in large clusters at the ends of branches. The pods are flattened.
There are about 120-150 Acer species.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. It needs well drained soil. It is best in moist soil. It can grow in light shade.
Countries/locations it is found in
North America, USA
How it is used for food
The sap can be used as a drink. This can be boiled down to a syrup. It can be used as a sweetener on other foods.
Edible parts
Sap - sweetener
How it is grown
The sap flow is better on warm sunny days after a frost.