Smivies, this tree is not necessarily tropical. One thing that surprised me about Hawaii, was that there are plenty of temperate species from the mainland that are growing there (including the Phragmites in the background). At the top of the Mt. Kilauea caldera, there are open plateaus of very lean and acidic soil, which are being colonized by broom sedge - Andropogon virginicus. It is indigenous here and grows in the little meadow in my back yard! What an adaptable species, growing quite happily in zone 5 (or colder) and zone 11-ish.

Unlike most other maples, the A. negundo is fully dioecious so there are "male" and "female" trees. You have a male so it does not make seeds. The leaf form can vary in different ways from tree to tree and there are several varieties. The leaves can be anywhere between 6 and 15 inches long and can have 3 to 7 leaflets sometimes slightly lobed or coarsely toothed.

Wow! You guys are awesome! So that Japanese Ligustrum is most def not a keeper and will be coming down this weekend. It's blocking the view of birdfeeder anyway! Spot on with the Pricky Ash! Just read how it has a lemon smell when the leaves are crushed. I remember smelling citrus last time I was fighting the tree for my ponytail. :) OK, I have two more for you folks... 3. Also growing in the shadow of my Live Oaks. I think I saw the deer eating the leaves too. 4. This is a crappy picture but there were fire ants between me and the tree. I think I remember this one flowering about two months ago. Thanks again!

Yeah, Carrie, this one appears to have been "disciplined" on a regular basis with a hedge trimmer. Jim