← Back to the tree of knowledge

Tree of the Week • American Elm

Julia Andrade
Social Media

American Elm

Ulmus americana L.

Image result for american elm princeton

Mature Size

The American Elm grows to a height of 75–100' and 2 to 4' in diameter.

Soil Preference

The American Elm is most common on bottom lands and other fertile, moist soils.

Attributes

This tree:

  • Has leaves that alternate and are smooth texture.
  • Grows flowers are small and appear in the early spring before the leaves.
  • Provides shade.
  • Displays a vibrant yellow-orange color in the fall.

Wildlife Value

The American Elm's seeds and flower buds are eaten by birds and small mammals.

Did You Know? 

An introduced fungus,Dutch elm disease, began killingAmerican elms in the 1930s.Selective breeding has produced some trees with resistance to the disease. Large, valuable trees are occasionally treated with costly trunk injections of fungicide, a technique which manages but does not cure the disease.

Credit: ArborDay.org and Virginia.gov