Home / Plants and Wildflowers of the Upper-Midwest / American Elm

American Elm (Ulmus americana)

American Elm ; leaf | Stillwater, MN

Elms reproduce by means of small, disc-shaped seeds that drop in early Spring. The seed will take a year or more just to grow into the smallest sapling. Elm seeds need to sit through an entire winter; the chill actually triggers their growth! Elms are great trees. Their broad canopies put out more shade than your average tree. Planting just one of these near a deck, arbor, or dock will mean a much cooler summer!

American Elm facts:

• Native Americans used the bark of the elm to make canoes.
• Elm are thought to improve soil quality.
• American Elms are very susceptible to Dutch Elm disease; a condition caused by a species of bark beetle accidentally imported from Europe. Dutch Elm disease has ravage elm populations throughout the US.

Multimedia:

American Elm; summer profile | Stillwater, MN	American Elm; seeds | Stillwater, MN	American Elm; bark | Stillwater, MN

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