Wondering about Manitoba Maple aka Box Elder

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MaggieJ

MaggieJ

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Has anybody ever fed Manitoba maple Acer negundo, also known as Box Elder?

I can find no toxicity issues with it and it is considered a safe species for horse pasture shade (always a good indicator). Cottontail rabbits are mentioned as a source of winter damage to its bark and apparently it is possible to make maple syrup from its sap, although it is not a particularly good source. Everything I have found points to it being rabbit-safe, but I cannot find any references to rabbits eating its leaves. Nor have I observed local cottontails doing so.

We have abundant Manitoba maple saplings springing up all over and at present they are wasted. Seems a pity if they are good browse for bunnies.
 
I'm sure it's safe. My goats eat it, and I remember one of my horses eating it, many years ago. We'd cut one down and used branches for fence-posts and they grew leaves the following spring! :shock:
 
mine won't eat them, not at all. They will not eat the leaves but will nibble at the bark at bit. Not sure why as it seemed to me a good food source as well. Nothing about indicated toxicity either, but when fed, NONE of them would touch it.
 
Sounds safe enough... I'm going to give it a try on Polly, who has had a reservation for freezer camp for ages. Of course, chances are that Ladysown is right and the buns won't eat it.

They have been eating some ash leaves that I have been mixing into their greens in small quantities. I've known for some time that ash is safe, but last summer they turned their wiggly noses up at it. Might be something that they will only eat early in the summer. I think it is green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) but as far as I know other species of Fraxinus are also edible for rabbits.
 
Yes, red maples, especially wilted, can be a real problem for horses. I was half-expecting similar warnings about Manitoba maples, but they are apparently recommended for horse pastures to provide shade.
 
Manitoba maple isn't a real "maple" lol However when you say Red maples are you refering to the ones that turn bright red in fall or the Crimson maple that has red leaves all summer? What about Silver Maples, they are a softwood maple, we have some huge ones here and now a ton of seedlings growing..
 
Certainly Manitoba maple is a "real" maple, Lauren. It is a member of the Acer family, same as all the others... Acer negundo.

The red maple Ann and I referred to is, Acer rubrum. I would not feed it since it can be toxic to horses.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acer_rubrum

Silver maple, Acer saccarinum is fine for rabbits. I often feed it, mainly dried for winter because there are more palatable summer greens for the buns.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acer_saccharinum

Just a reminder that is very important to be certain of information posted about natural feeding and to provide botanical names of any plants posted as safe for rabbits.
 

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