Witch Elm Ulmus alata
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- ULM-us a-LAY-tuh
- Description
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Winged elm is a woody, deciduous tree in the elm family (Ulmaceae). It is native to eastern and central North America. Winged Elm grows 40 to 60 feet tall and 20 to 40 feet wide.
It prefers full to partial sun and moist soil with good drainage. It tolerates different soil types, including those that contain loam, clay, sand or rocky material and is not particular about soil pH. The fertility of the soil and moisture determine the ultimate size of this tree. Regularly prune young trees to eliminate multiple trunks. It is propagated by seed.
This elm is valuable to wildlife as a source of food, nesting and habitat. When grown in an open site, it has a short bole (the trunk below the crown) and branches arching upward to form a rounded crown. In a forested site, the tree tends to grow taller and straighter. The heavy wood is used for furniture, crates and boxes.
Landscape uses for winged elm include woodlands and naturalized areas, shade trees or street trees, and butterfly, native, pollinator and winter gardens. In fall, the leaves turn yellow.
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Insect problems include beetles, borers, caterpillars, leaf miners, and scale. Particularly susceptible to Dutch Elm disease (a fatal fungal disease spread by beetles with no effective cure), powdery mildew, phloem necrosis, cankers, and leaf spots can be problems, especially on stressed trees.
VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Lace Parasol'
- 'Lace Parasol'
- 'Lace Parasol'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Lace Parasol'
- 'Lace Parasol'
- 'Lace Parasol'
- Tags:
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-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Ulmus
- Species:
- alata
- Family:
- Ulmaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- The heavy wood is used for furniture, crates, and boxes.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern and central North America
- Distribution:
- Southeastern United States, Virginia to Florida, west to Illinois, Missouri, and Texas.
- Fire Risk Rating:
- low flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- This plant supports the following larvae: Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma), Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa), Question Mark Butterfly (Polygonia interrogationis). Questionmark butterflies have an interesting life cycles: overwintered adult Question Mark butterflies lay eggs from spring until the end of May. These will appear as summer adults from May-September, laying eggs that then develop into the winter adult form. The winter adults appear in late August and shelter for the winter starting the cycle all over again. Adult Question Mark butterflies feed on rotting fruit, tree sap, dung, and carrion only visiting flowers for feeding when absolutely necessary. Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) and Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax) rarely use this host plant in North Carolina. It is also a host plant for the Red Spotted Purple butterflies. The seeds are eaten by songbirds and small mammals.
- Play Value:
- Shade
- Wildlife Cover/Habitat
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Larval Host
- Wildlife Nesting
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Resistant to fire and moderately resistant to damage from deer.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 40 ft. 0 in. - 60 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 20 ft. 0 in. - 40 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Open
- Pyramidal
- Rounded
- Vase
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- more than 60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Spring
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Samara
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Small drupe but very distinctive, covered with light colored fuzz, 1/3 inch long, tipped at the end with two long, curving bristles. The seeds mature in April-May as the leaves reach full size. In North Carolina, fruits are available from March to April.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Winter
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Insignificant, 1/4 inch, brownish-green flowers appear in clusters in late winter to early spring before the foliage emerges. The flower is typically very small with curling fuzzy stigmas. In North Carolina, flowers are available from February to March.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Rough
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Insignificant
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Oblong
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Doubly Dentate
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Alternate, ovate to elliptic, pointed, rough-textured dark green leaves (1.5 to 3.5 inches long) with doubly toothed margins and asymetrical bases. The leaves typically turn an undistinguished dull yellowish-green in fall.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Gray
- Light Brown
- Red/Burgundy
- Surface/Attachment:
- Exfoliating
- Fissured
- Shredding
- Bark Plate Shape:
- Irregular
- Bark Description:
- The bark is red-brown to ashy gray with flat topped ridges that are separated by irregular fissures. Scaly, shredding, patchy and grayish-brown, some reddish where bark exfoliates.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Corky Ridges
- Stem Description:
- Stems usually have two wide corky ridges or wings.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Shade Tree
- Specimen
- Street Tree
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Dry Soil
- Fire
- Wet Soil
