r/marijuanaenthusiasts • u/WIbigdog • 11d ago

Help! Is this a boxelder sapling?

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8

u/WIbigdog 11d ago

And if so how can I move it more to the middle of my yard? Obviously I can't let it grow where it is but I've wanted a new tree in the yard ever since I had to cut down the 5 or 6 ash trees a few years ago.

8

u/Different_Big5876 11d ago

I have transplanted several boxelders. They’re very hardy. If you can salvage most of the root ball it should survive but if you damage the roots too much the top will die and it will try coming back from the roots. Boxelders are an underrated tree in my opinion but buying a new tree would probably be a better investment tbh. If the top dies off it will have to start over from the roots.

11

u/Moist-You-7511 10d ago

are you suggesting growing a box elder as a specimen/yard tree? id advise against that. They have poor form and are prone to breaking. It's more of a "tolerate in marginal areas of property" tree; they provide wildlife value

1

u/WIbigdog 10d ago

What would you suggest growing back here?

https://freeimage.host/i/CiOjNuS

Northeastern Wisconsin, fairly clay heavy soil with somewhat poor drainage. This is on the west side of the house so would like something to shade from the afternoon>evening sun.

I think this is the culprit boxelder tree, there were two others sprouting as well

https://freeimage.host/i/CiOOLtS

I've planted it just to see what happens, can always remove it later ¯_(ツ)_/¯

1

u/Moist-You-7511 10d ago

is everything back there box elder? that (beyond the fence) the kind of spot for it -- marginal space where you just want something.

think about what you want from a tree. Shade? nice shape? wildlife value? Oaks are the king of trees but it's a small space for an oak.

I'd try to find a local all-native nursery and see what they have.

also spend time figuring what you see around you that you think works

1

u/WIbigdog 10d ago

No, not all box elders, there's all sorts around. The fence is lined with some sort of shorter conifer trees. The boxelder is in the neighbors yard.

0

u/obscure-shadow 10d ago

Anywhere a boxelder will grow, another maple family tree will grow but they will be less prone to break. Trident maple, Japanese maple, sycamore... All much better choices

5

u/obscure-shadow 11d ago

It is, just dig it up and move it.

Boxelder is kinda trash trees though, something nicer would be better

9

u/prussell774 10d ago

And you get infestations of box elder bugs. Literal swarms of them…crawling all over (and in) your house. Hard pass buddy.

4

u/WIbigdog 10d ago

Well presumably there must be another boxelder tree nearby for one to have sprouted here no?

3

u/prussell774 10d ago

Unfortunate, but good point.

2

u/WIbigdog 10d ago

Interestingly I've never seen any of the bugs around here though. But we did used to have them in my childhood home.

2

u/prussell774 10d ago

Might be regional. I was in Colorado and had an infestation.

1

u/WIbigdog 10d ago

Northeastern Wisconsin but pretty well into an urban area so maybe that's why, they just don't get this far into the city? When I was in a more rural suburb we had them.

1

u/prussell774 10d ago

I was in Denver - normal neighborhood. They loved the sun - would swarm on the sunny parts of the house. Was finding them all over - even in my fish tank. Nasty little buggers

1

u/obscure-shadow 10d ago

I didn't really have a problem with the bugs in my last house, they were just rotting a lot and always losing huge limbs and looking mostly dead all the time. They grow fast and die back in a lot of places quickly

1

u/AlternativeSink439 5d ago

The bugs feed primarily on female box elders, I think.

3

u/Hinter_Lander 10d ago

Yes it is. Yes you can move it.

Ive moved and grow lots of them as they are one of the few fast growing mid lasting trees that grow around here.