Boxelder

Description:

Deciduous tree with groupings of five leaves at the end of each stem. There is dropping inflorescence at the end of the stems, under the leaves. This is a "small, usually fast-growing and fairly short-lived tree that grows up to 10–25 metres (33–82 ft) tall, with a trunk diameter of 30–50 centimetres (12–20 in), rarely up to 1 metre (3.3 ft) diameter. It often has several trunks and can form impenetrable thickets. he flowers are small and appear in early spring on drooping racemes 10–20 centimetres (3.9–7.9 in) long. The seeds are paired samaras, each seed slender, 1–2 centimetres (0.39–0.79 in) long, with a 2–3 centimetres (0.79–1.2 in) incurved wing; they drop in autumn or they may persist through winter. Seeds are usually both prolific and fertile. The shoots are green, often with a whitish to pink or violet waxy coating when young. Branches are smooth, somewhat brittle, and tend to retain a fresh green colour rather than forming a bark of dead, protective tissue. The bark on its trunks is pale gray or light brown, deeply cleft into broad ridges, and scaly. Unlike most other maples (which usually have simple, palmately lobed leaves), Acer negundo has pinnately compound leaves that usually have three to seven leaflets. Simple leaves are also occasionally present; technically, these are single-leaflet compound leaves." - Wikipedia

Habitat:

Hillside next to Lake Poway. "varieties thrive across the United States and Canada. It may also be found as far south as Guatemala" - Wikipedia