Hi Prometheus

We have lots of box elder up here in south-west Ontario, it's looked
upon as a weed tree, not my favorite wood, usually there is no red
streaking in them, it seems only damage to the tree will trigger the red
coloration, a lot of the trees do have some burl or figure in the wood
though.
As for you looking for the trees in the forest, I would say that's the
wrong place, they don't seem to do well in the competition of a forest,
around here you will find them mostly in corners of peoples back yard,
fence rows, open waste places etc.
So maybe if you look at some different places you might find some, or
ask some of the highway crews or county road department people, they
would know if there is some around I would think

http://homepage.mac.com/l.vanderloo/PhotoAlbum12.html

Have fun and take care
Leo Van Der Loo

Prometheus wrote:
SNIP
Perhaps I just haven't gotten lucky yet- I've been looking for
boxelder for a while, and nothing. The turnings I've seen from it
look great, with nice contrasting red and white. The field guide I've
got says they like lowland areas near water, but no luck so far, and
I've hiked around a whole bunch of sawmps and ponds out in the forest.
I'll keep looking, though.