Florida Elm
ULMUS AMERICANA VAR. FLORIDANA: FLORIDA ELM
Description
This native North American tree grows quickly when young, forming a broad or upright, vase-shaped silhouette, 60 to 80 feet high and wide. The six-inch-long, deciduous leaves are dark green throughout the year, fading to yellow before dropping in fall. In early spring, before the new leaves unfold, the rather inconspicuous, small, green flowers appear on pendulous stalks. These blooms are followed by green, wafer-like seedpods which mature soon after flowering is finished and the seeds are quite popular with both birds and wildlife. American elm must be at least 15-years-old before it will
bear seed. The copious amount of seeds can create a mess on hard surfaces for a period of time. Trees have an extensive but shallow root system.
Height: 60 to 80 feet
Spread: 50 to 60 feet
Crown uniformity: symmetrical
Crown shape: vase, upright/erect
Crown density: moderate
Growth rate: fast
Texture: medium
Culture
Light requirement: full sun, partial sun, or partial shade Soil tolerances: clay; sand; loam; alkaline; acidic; extended flooding; well-drained Drought tolerance: moderate Aerosol salt tolerance: moderate
Use and Management
Once a very popular and long-lived shade and street tree, American elm suffered, and
is currently suffering, a dramatic decline in most areas in the north with the introduction
of Dutch elm disease, a fungus spread by a bark beetle. The wood of American elm is
very hard and was a valuable timber tree used for lumber, furniture and veneer. The
Indians once made canoes out of American elm trunks, and early settlers would steam
the wood so it could be bent to make barrels and wheel hoops. It was also used for the
rockers on rocking chairs. Today, the wood that can be found is used mainly for making
furniture.
American elm should be grown in full sun on well-drained, rich soil. If you plant
American elm, plan on implementing a monitoring program to watch for symptoms of
Dutch elm disease. It is vital to the health of existing trees that a program be in place to
administer special care to these disease-sensitive trees.
Florida’s Premiere Tree Installer, The Tree Planters located in Lakeland, is your #1 source for large, rare, and exotic palms and trees. At The Tree Planters, we have installed and transplanted thousands of large trees of every variety all over Florida for over 50 years. Every tree we sell, we plant. Every tree we plant, we guarantee for One Full Year.
Delivery is included in the price of your tree. We proudly serve the entire state of Florida. (All other delivery fees will be quoted at time of purchase), and a One-Year Guarantee on every tree planted by The Tree Planters.