Mistaken plant identity can easily happen

    Have you ever gone into a nursery and picked out a plant you really liked and then got it home only to find out it was not what you were told? These things happen. How do you stop it from happening? Before you shop for a plant, gather as much information as you can about the plant. Check your resources when gathering information to make sure that they are credible.
    One of the best resources to check on plant material is the USDA plant database. There are others such as Missouri Botanic plant database. There is a plant society for every plant. Most plant societies have websites and contacts that can help you confirm a plant ID.
    If you went to a nursery wanting to purchase a blaze maple and came home with a boxelder, I am sure you would be disappointed. I had a client who had that happen to them. They are both in the maple family, but both are very different.
    Boxelder, Acer negundo ‘Sensation’ grows on difficult sites and is a weed tree in the industry. It seeds prolifically. It has no pests and a great red or yellow fall color lasts up to 2 weeks. It is used on residential streets or as a specimen tree. It only gets to a height of 50 feet and width of 45 feet. There are no other major potential problems with boxelder. It does attract the boxelder insect, which eats the seeds of the tree as with many maples.

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