Box Elder is a fast growing tree that was often planted as a shade tree and for windbreaks. The wood is plain but sometimes Box Elder produces a burl in which the grain is radically deformed because of some stress or damage and makes small birdseye knots. This burl wood is highly figured. The Box Elder Burl I use in my knives comes from a storm-damaged tree that was part of the original trees planted during the Mormon migration to Utah. This particular piece has lots of figure and provides a nice contrast to the New Zealand Totara Burl.