American Elm

Ulmaceae

LIFE FORM: Tree

NATIVITY: Eastern North America

VEGETATIVE CHARACTERISTICS:

Grows to 80 feet tall; beautiful vase-shaped form; Dutch Elm disease a problem with old trees; young trees grow rapidly; coarsely toothed leaves are lopsided at the base; and rough on the upper surface.

FLOWERS:

Inconspicuous green flowers in very early spring; wind pollinated.

FRUIT/DISPERSAL AGENTS:

Papery, "wafers" are wind-dispersed in late spring.

ECOLOGICAL PREFERENCE:

Minimally maintained public parks and open space; vacant lots and waste dumps; woodlands that develop on abandoned open space; freshwater wetlands, ponds and streams; riverbanks; chain-link fence lines; railroad tracks with ballast substrate.

ENVIRONMENTAL FUNCTION:

Hear reduction in paved areas; salt tolerance along roadways; drought tolerance on compacted soils; air pollution tolerance; stream and river bank stabilization.

CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE:

Young American elms are common in the urban environment; old specimens are rare.