White Elm Ulmus americana
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Ulmus americana var. americana
- Ulmus americana var. floridana
- Ulmus floridana
- Phonetic Spelling
- ULM-us a-mer-ih-KAY-nah
- Description
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American elm is a rapidly growing perennial, woody, deciduous tree in the elm family (Ulmaceae). It grows 60 to 80 feet tall with a trunk diameter of 2 to 5 feet. Older trees sometimes develop buttresses that expand their base. The tree is native to eastern North America.
This elm grows well in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils but adapts to both wet and dry sites. It needs full sun or partial shade, a neutral pH and is not fussy about soil texture. It can be kept a shrub size by cutting it to the ground in the fall every two or three years. Its fibrous root system makes it easy to transplant. It is best propagated by seed.
The American elm is a beautiful shade tree with an urn shape. When sited in a dense forest, the tree tends to have a narrow crown and a long, clear bole (the trunk below the crown). When sited in an open area, the tree tends to fork near the ground and develop an arching crown. It is valuable to wildlife as a food source, nesting site and habitat. It is fire and deer-resistant and tolerates urban conditions.
Plant this tree in a woodland, naturalized area, or on a slope. It is at home in a butterfly, drought-tolerant, native, pollinator, rain, shade, or winter garden.
- A deciduous tree with a naturally occurring vase-like habit, ranging from 60 to 80 feet tall and 30 to 60 feet wide.
- The bark is dark gray with flat braided ridges.
- The stems are smooth and brown.
- Green, simple, alternate, doubly serrate, offset base leaves with pubescence on the undersides.
- Soft yellow fall foliage.
- Small greenish-red inconspicuous flowers in the late winter to early spring.
- The fruit is a seed surrounded by a flat oval papery wing appearing in mid-spring.
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Dutch Elm Disease is a fatal fungal disease spread by airborne bark beetles that attacks the water-conducting tissue of the tree, resulting in wilting, defoliation, and death. There is no known cure, however, resistant cultivars such as 'Princeton' are available and are currently being evaluated. Phloem necrosis is a disease caused by a phytoplasma that attacks the food-conducting tissue of this tree, usually resulting in a loosening of the bark, wilting, defoliation, and death. Wetwood is a bacterial disease that results in wilting and dieback. Various wilts, rots, cankers, and leaf spots may also occur. Insect visitors include borers, leaf miners, beetles, mealy bugs, caterpillars, and scales.
VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Creole Queen'
- 'Deleware #2'
Disease resistent, vigorous grower. - 'Jefferson'
Disease resistant, 50 feet and vase-shaped. - Liberty
Not as disease resistant as some others, comprised of more than one clone. - New Harmony
Upright, 70 feet tall and wide, not as disease resistant as some others. - 'Princeton'
Vase-shaped, good disease resistance, 70 feet high by 50 feet wide. - 'Princeton'
- 'Valley Forge'
Classic Elm tree form, best dutch elm disease resistance.
- 'Creole Queen'
- 'Creole Queen', 'Deleware #2', 'Jefferson', Liberty, New Harmony, 'Princeton', 'Princeton', 'Valley Forge'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Creole Queen'
- 'Deleware #2'
Disease resistent, vigorous grower. - 'Jefferson'
Disease resistant, 50 feet and vase-shaped. - Liberty
Not as disease resistant as some others, comprised of more than one clone. - New Harmony
Upright, 70 feet tall and wide, not as disease resistant as some others. - 'Princeton'
Vase-shaped, good disease resistance, 70 feet high by 50 feet wide. - 'Princeton'
- 'Valley Forge'
Classic Elm tree form, best dutch elm disease resistance.
- 'Creole Queen'
- 'Creole Queen', 'Deleware #2', 'Jefferson', Liberty, New Harmony, 'Princeton', 'Princeton', 'Valley Forge'
- Tags:
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-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Ulmus
- Species:
- americana
- Family:
- Ulmaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- The wood is heavy, hard, strong, and difficult to split. Often used for lumber, pulpwood, and firewood.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern North America
- Distribution:
- Eastern North America; Newfoundland to Manitoba, Florida 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 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: 60 ft. 0 in. - 80 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 30 ft. 0 in. - 60 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Arching
- Erect
- Spreading
- Vase
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- 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:
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Occasionally Wet
- Very Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- more than 60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Spring
- Fruit Type:
- Samara
- Fruit Description:
- The flowers give way to single-seeded wafer-like samaras (each tiny seed is surrounded by a flattened oval-rounded papery wing). The seeds are clustered on long stems and 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:
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Winter
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- The American elm has insignificant small greenish-red flowers that appear in drooping clusters of 3 to 4. They appear in spring before the foliage emerges. 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:
- Leathery
- Rough
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Dentate
- Doubly Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The American elm has rough-textured, ovate-elliptic, dark green leaves (4 to 6 inches long) with toothed margins, asymetrical bases, and a long, slightly curved point. The leaves typically turn an undistinguished yellow in fall.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Ridges
- Bark Description:
- Divided into flat braided ridges, generally firm, but tends to come off in flakes on old trees.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Slope/Bank
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Shade Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Shade Tree
- Street Tree
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Compaction
- Deer
- Drought
- Fire
- Heat
- Urban Conditions
- Problems:
- Frequent Disease Problems
- Frequent Insect Problems