White Elm (Ulmus americana)


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At a glance

Names

Latin (scientific) name: Ulmus americana 

Common English name: White Elm

Other names: American Elm

French name: Orme d’Amérique

Type

deciduous tree icon

Deciduous

Plant Hardiness Zone

2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b

Status

species native to Canada

Native

Size at Maturity

35 m

Life Expectancy

Where it grows

Plant Hardiness Zone

2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b

Habitat

Prefers full sun, can tolerate some shade.

Preferred Soil Type

Rich moist sites with good drainage but fairly tolerant of a variety of soils.

Distribution Across Canada

Native to eastern Canada.

What it looks like

At Maturity

Easy to recognize by the vase shaped form of the tree

Bark

deciduous tree icon

mottled & scaly grey when mature

Leaf

deciduous tree icon

Approximately 12 cm long oval, toothed

Bud

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Fruit

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Oval shaped flattened fruit with hairs along margins

Flowers

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White, on separate stalks, in clumps

What affects it

Pests

Elm Bark Beatle

Common diseases

Susceptible to Dutch Elm Disease. Some resistant cultivars now available.

Values and Uses

Edible fruit/nut tree?

No

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