American Elm Tree

Ulmus americana is the American elm, the arching, vase-shaped native that shaded town streets in the East for generations. It is at home in rich bottomland and puts up with poor drainage and dry spells. Our bare-root trees ship in 1-2, 2-3 and 3-4 foot sizes, in packs of 25, 50, 100 and 500.

American Elm Size, Zones and Sun

A mature American elm reaches 72 to 100 feet or more, with a spread near 80 feet, so it belongs on a large property. It grows in zones 3 to 9. Full sun is best, and it takes part shade. Rich, fertile, well-drained soil suits it, though it tolerates a wide range of pH, poor drainage and dry spells.

American Elm Bark, Leaves and Seeds

The bark is ash-gray with flat-topped ridges and diamond-shaped furrows. Leaves have a lopsided base, and they turn yellow in fall. Small red and green flowers open early, between January and March, and flat winged seeds about half an inch long ripen in spring.

American Elm and Wildlife

American elm is a host tree for mourning cloak, question mark, painted lady and comma butterflies, and for Columbia silkmoth caterpillars. It does well beside other tough trees, and our drought-tolerant trees for fall planting list gives some partners.

Good to Know About American Elm

Dutch elm disease is the thing to know about this species, and phloem necrosis, elm bark beetles and leaf beetles also affect it. Stressed trees suffer most, so choose a good site and water in dry weather. The crown is huge, so keep it away from power lines and buildings. Our spacing guide for trees near a house gives distances.

American Elm Sizes, Packs and Shipping

American elm trees ship bare-root in November, in 1-2, 2-3 and 3-4 foot sizes and packs of 25, 50, 100 and 500. Volume pricing available. Browse more trees for sale.