Box elder does not look like a maple at first glance. Instead of a single lobed leaf it carries a compound leaf of three to five leaflets, which gives a lighter, more open texture than a plane or a Norway maple and a canopy you can see through.Sensation was selected for a tidier, more compact crown than common box elder and for autumn colour that runs orange to red rather than the plain yellow of the species. It is a male clone, so it does not set the seed that makes ordinary Acer negundo such a nuisance along creek lines and back fences.The wood is on the brittle side, and that is the trait to plan around. Keep it out of the windiest corner of the site, prune to a single leader early, and take out any tight forks while the cuts are still small. In return you get a deciduous tree that establishes without drama and will not outgrow a suburban block.Choosing a sizeThis plant is available in 13 sizes, from 330mm up to Bare root, priced from $45.95 to $2749.00 per plant. The size shown is the pot the plant arrives in, which is the rootball, not the height of the plant. Every size here is established stock rather than a starter plant, so this line is intended for immediate effect rather than for growing on. Not sure which to choose? Read our guide to growing maples in Australian gardens.
