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American Elm Ulmus americana (ul-muss ah-mare-i-can-ah)     Click on thumbnails for larger image. |
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What about it? Elms are deciduous trees that will grow to about 80 feet tall. They have long, arching branches and deeply textured bark. The leaves turn yellow in autumn. What is it used for? American elms were good shade trees and their curving branches made them popular for tree-lined drives. However, elms are no longer recommended because of their susceptibility to disease. What are its primary problems? Elms are plagued with a number of diseases and insect pests. Elm leaf beetles, cankerworms, leaf spots, elm bark beetles, Dutch elm disease, and Elm Yellows have led to the ruin of the American elm. In particular, Dutch elm disease wiped out elms across the continent. Efforts are continually being made to develop a resistant strain of American Elm but most of the results have been hybrids that lack the traditional elm shape that made them so popular.
 © Copyright, Department of Horticulture, Cornell University. |