AMERICAN ELMBen Ferguson

American ElmAmerican Elm, Ulmus americana L., has

been called White Elm, American White Elm, Water Elm, Soft Elm, and Florida Elm. It is also an extremely hardy tree.

ClassificationKingdom – Plantae (Plants)Subkingdom – Tracheobionta (Vascular plants)Superdivision – Spermatophtyta (Seed plants)Division – Magnoliophyta (Flowering plants)Class – Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons)Subclass – Hamamelididae Order – UrticalesFamily – Ulmaceae (Elm family)Genus – Ulmus L. (Elm)Species – Ulmus americana L. (American Elm)

Shape, Form, TypeAmerican Elms can grow up to 38 m in

height. It has a large vase-like growth which makes it useful as a shade tree.

Figure 1

BarkThe bark of a young American elm is

sometimes spongy. The bark has a grayish color and it has diamond shaped fissures in the bark. Figure

2

Twig The twigs are tender and are somewhat

zigzagged. They are reddish-brown in color.

Figure 3

LeafThe leaves of an American elm are simple

and they alternate. They are ovate to oblong, 3 to 5 in in length and 1 to 3 in wide. They are also sharply double serrate. Figure 4

BudThe buds are ¼ of an in long. They are

ovate and are placed a little to one side of the twig. They are reddish-brown in color with scales that are darker.

Figure 5

FlowerThe flowers are small and grow in drooping

clusters of 3 to 5. They appear in the early spring.

Figure 6

FruitThe fruit are flat, rounded, and wafer-like.

Hair appears along the margin of the fruit and they ripen in the spring.

Figure 7

Habitat and RangeAmerican Elm can be found in eastern North

America. It reaches from Nova Scotia, Ontario, southern Manitoba, and southeastern Saskatchewan; to Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, and up across the entire east coast.

Figure 8

UsesThe American Elm has been used as

firewood, as a shade tree, and as a street tree. It is also used in making furniture and in construction.

References Images

http://www.plantcare.com/encyclopedia/american-elm-2107.aspx Figure 1 Retrieved 6/23/10

http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/image/u/ulam--br12246.htm Figure 2 Retrieved 6/23/10

http://www.earlham.edu/~biol/brents/field_botany/wildman1/american_elm_twig2.jpg Figure 5 Retrieved 6/23/10

http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/species/ulam.htm Figure 3 Retrieved 6/23/10

http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/species/ulam.htm Figure 4 Retrieved 6/23/10

http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/species/ulam.htm#Flower Figure 6 Retrieved 6/23/10

http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/image/u/ulam--frmature19631.htm Figure 7 Retrieved 6/23/10

http://na.fs.fed.us/pubs/silvics_manual/volume_2/ulmus/americana.htm Figure 8 Retrieved 6/23/10

References Information http://www.plantcare.com/encyclopedia/a

merican-elm-2107.aspx Retrieved 6/23/10

http://na.fs.fed.us/pubs/silvics_manual/volume_2/ulmus/americana.htm Retrieved 6/23/10

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ULAM Retrieved 6/23/10

http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=41 Retrieved 6/24/10