Carolina Nature

Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of North Carolina

American Elm (Ulmus americana)

Plantae>Magnoliophyta>Magnoliopsida>Urticales>Ulmaceae>Ulmus americana L.

American Elm (Ulmus americana)

American Elm is a common large tree of bottomland forests. Many trees were killed by Dutch elm disease, an introduced fungal disease spread by bark beetles, but the population seems to have recovered and American Elm is currently quite common.

Wake Co., NC 5/23/2009.

American Elm (Ulmus americana)

Wake Co., NC 5/23/2009.

American Elm (Ulmus americana)

Wake Co., NC 5/23/2009.

American Elm (Ulmus americana)

Chapel Hill, NC 5/2/09.

American Elm (Ulmus americana)

The leaf bases are very lopsided, like those of Slippery Elm (Ulmus rubra), but the leaves are often but not always smooth above, while those of Slippery Elm are rough. See the Slippery Elm account for more on separating the two very similar species.

Blacksburg, Montgomery Co., VA 7/13/07.

American Elm (Ulmus americana)

Also compare with the common Winged Elm (Ulmus alata), which has shorter, narrower leaves.

Blacksburg, Montgomery Co., VA 7/13/07.

American Elm (Ulmus americana)

The tree is renowned for its vase-like form. Before Dutch Elm Disease wiped out many large trees, it was frequently used as a street tree. Now little cultivated because of the threat of the disease, though large trees are still quite common in the wild.

Durham Co., NC 6/8/03.

American Elm (Ulmus americana)

Mecklenburg Co., VA 5/2/05.

American Elm (Ulmus americana)

Vigorous young growth may have leaves that are rough-hairy above and hairy branches.

Durham Co., NC 10/16/2008.

American Elm (Ulmus americana)

Durham Co., NC 10/16/2008.

American Elm (Ulmus americana)

Durham Co., NC 10/16/2008.

American Elm (Ulmus americana)

Durham Co., NC 10/16/2008.

American Elm (Ulmus americana) flowers

The flowers, which are produced in early spring before the leaves emerge, are green, like those of Slippery Elm, and unlike the dull reddish tinged flowers of the Winged Elm. American Elm samaras (fruits) are notched at the tip and have ciliate margins; those of Slippery Elm are entire and smooth.

Orange Co., NC 3/9/08.

American Elm (Ulmus americana)

Bark of a large tree. If you cut a cross section of the bark, you'll see alternating pale and dark bands, lacking in Slippery Elm.

Mecklenburg Co., VA 5/2/05.

 

More information:
Trees of Alabama and the Southeast
US Forest Service Silvics Manual
University of Connecticut
Virginia Tech Dendrology

Recommended Tree, Shrub, and Woody Vine Identification Guides