Oh, I wasn't saying it's beneficial. Just much easier to get rid of.
Boxelder
- Thread starter almanac12
- Start date
Oh, I wasn't saying it's beneficial. Just much easier to get rid of.
shawnv
5 year old buck +
I think Aldo would be just fine with this:
There are 285 species of Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) that depend on box elder to survive their caterpillar stage. If we say good-bye to box elders, we might as well say good-bye to almost three hundred species of moths and butterflies! Keep in mind that insects and caterpillars are the largest diet component of insectivorous birds and that the populations of most bird species are limited by food availability.
Many species of birds and squirrels feed on the seeds of Boxelder. Deer use it in the fall as a browse species of secondary of importance, it's not always a 3rd tier browse species.
Would I plant it no, would I replace other plantings with it no, do I manage what I have...yes and it's part of the diversity on my ground.
PS. I love my sumac too! One reason the turkey's fared well here when we had some bad winters.
There are 285 species of Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) that depend on box elder to survive their caterpillar stage. If we say good-bye to box elders, we might as well say good-bye to almost three hundred species of moths and butterflies! Keep in mind that insects and caterpillars are the largest diet component of insectivorous birds and that the populations of most bird species are limited by food availability.
Many species of birds and squirrels feed on the seeds of Boxelder. Deer use it in the fall as a browse species of secondary of importance, it's not always a 3rd tier browse species.
Would I plant it no, would I replace other plantings with it no, do I manage what I have...yes and it's part of the diversity on my ground.
PS. I love my sumac too! One reason the turkey's fared well here when we had some bad winters.
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Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
If you're going to go to war with a tree species - Tree-of-Heaven would be a good place to start !! They'll out-compete the native flora and ruin anyone's woods / fields. Box Elder & sumac are no problem at all compared to non-natives.
rocksnstumps
5 year old buck +
I'll agree with that and even though prickly ash is native too, I have a 100x more of that stuff than a few spots with box elder and stag horn sumac.
Boxelder can colonize old fields and form monocultures. They also can colonize and dominate edge habitat.
If someone has a goal to plant a conifer screen, boxelder can grow between the evergreens and kill the lower branches.
Boxelder scattered throughout the woods amongst other species is a different scenario, and probably not problematic compared to the other examples.
If someone has a goal to plant a conifer screen, boxelder can grow between the evergreens and kill the lower branches.
Boxelder scattered throughout the woods amongst other species is a different scenario, and probably not problematic compared to the other examples.
j-bird
Moderator
Just remember a "weed" is what we say it is. An oak sapling in a clover plot is a "weed". Clover in your yard at home is a "weed". A large common ragweed plant growing inside your apple tree cage is a "weed". In these cases you manage for that "weed" in that instance based on your goals. It doesn't mean you wage war on that particular species across the board! Manage it where you feel the need, accept it as some habitat diversity where you can.
Very well said.
j-bird
Moderator
Thank you.
One acre of land can only support X amount of biomass. Since I am the caretaker of my land, I chose the trees I want on my land according to my plans and goals for my acreage. For tree species I would rather have oaks, cherry, aspen, maple, frazier fir, blue spruce, plus red and white pine trees on my land. That is which is exactly what I do have growing and I consider it a very diverse setting. Most were natives, some I planted myself over 30+ years.
Enough of my neighbors do nothing with their box elders so that there are plenty in the area. A lot of them grow right along my property lines. The trees themselves and their seeds drop onto my side of the property line. Not once has a neighbor taken care of a downed box elder even after I have contacted them about their fallen tree.
If you see a value in box elders on your land, so be it. I do not, so I cut and treat them with Tordon. By eliminating box elders, I give the other trees a bigger share of what each acre of land will support. Bottom line is different strokes for different folks!
Enough of my neighbors do nothing with their box elders so that there are plenty in the area. A lot of them grow right along my property lines. The trees themselves and their seeds drop onto my side of the property line. Not once has a neighbor taken care of a downed box elder even after I have contacted them about their fallen tree.
If you see a value in box elders on your land, so be it. I do not, so I cut and treat them with Tordon. By eliminating box elders, I give the other trees a bigger share of what each acre of land will support. Bottom line is different strokes for different folks!
This is a great comment. I would add different trees for different habitats. The loss of elm years ago and now ash has removed two of the most prominent bottomland/wet area species in many parts of the northern states. In the north we're left with cottonwood, soft maple, poplar, cherry, and swamp white oak / bur oak if we're lucky. And of course, the "lowliest of all maples" (tongue in cheek), the boxelder.
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Apple Junkie
5 year old buck +
I am not a fan of box elder, but I do appreciate some of the arguments made for not cutting them down on sight. Personally, I let them grow until something something more desirable wants the space, then they get the ax. If they do get too dense, then I will drop a bunch to open up the canopy, and provide some valuable winter browse.