But the prolific woody plant's beauty may be more than bark-deep. As a relative to the maple, the box elder's sap can be collected for a slightly tangy, antioxidant-rich maple syrup.

Mitch Thompson of the ND Forest Service teaches readers about how to collect sap from boxelder trees. He writes, the "syrup has a very delicious and sweet taste, much like regular natural maple ...

Most young fruit trees need at least a few years of growth before they’re mature enough to bloom and set fruit. The Sensation box elder tree provides nice fall color in home landscapes.