Scientific Name:
Ulmus americana
Pronunciation:
ULL-mus uh-mair-ih-KAY-nuh
Common Name:
American elm
Family Name:
Ulmaceae
Plant Type:
Tree - deciduous
Key ID Features:
Leaves alternate, simple, ovate to oblong, most blades 7-15cm long x 2-7cm wide; margin coarsely and sharply doubly serrate, bases conspicuously uneven, lower surface downy, petiole < 1cm long; samaras rounded, 1-1.5cm wide, notched at apex. Winter ID: twigs reddish-brown with grey pubescence; buds ovate, most 4-9mm long, reddish brown with darker edged scales; leaf scars oval, off-centred.
Habit:
Twiggy, Upright
Form:
Round, Vase
Texture:
Medium
Mature Height:
22 - 30m
Mature Spread:
15 - 25m
Growth Rate:
Fast
Origin:
Canada - central, Canada - eastern, U.S. - central, U.S. - northeast
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 3: (-40 to -34 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun
Soil/Growing Medium:
Well-drained
Water Use:
Moderate
Landscape Uses:
Shade tree, Street (boulevard tree), Tall background
Additional Info:
Google. Cultivars shown or on campus may include U. 'Brandon' (compact, 15m high x 10m spread, tolerant of air pollution, salt.)
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Simple
Arrangement:
Alternate
Texture/Venation:
Soft flexible, Heavily veined, Pinnate venation
Surfaces:
Glabrous
Colour in Summer:
Dark-green
Colour in Fall:
Yellow
Shapes:
Oblong, Ovate
Apices:
Acuminate
Bases:
Oblique (uneven), Rounded
Margins:
Double serrate, Serrate
Additional Info:
Spectacular fall colour, leaves to 15cm long
Inflorescence Type:
Flowers clustered
Flower Morphology:
Monoecious plant
Number Of Petals:
0
Ovary Position:
Superior
Colour (petals):
Not showy, Pink, Red
Flower Scent:
None
Flower Time at Peak:
Apr, May
Fruit Type:
Samara
Fruit Colour:
Green-yellow, Green
Fruiting Time:
May, Jun
Additional Info:
Showy, to 1.5cm long
Bark Morphology:
Deeply fissured, Single stem trunk
Bark or Stem Colour:
Grey, Dark Grey
Leaf Bud Type:
Conical (long-pointed)
Leaf Scar Shape:
Half-round
Pest Susceptibility:
Aphids or adelgids, Beetles or weevils, Dieback, Leaf miner insect, Wilt
Specific Pests:
Dutch elm disease (plant a resistant cultivar)
Course(s):
- HORT 2355
- Level 3 Apprenticeship
Location(s):
- (WDH) Wark-Dumais House : cv. Brandon