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Discover thousands of New England plants

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 * Ulmus americana


ULMUS AMERICANA — AMERICAN ELM



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NEW ENGLAND DISTRIBUTION

Adapted from BONAP data

about the labels on this map

Native: indigenous.

Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become
naturalized.

County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium
specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20
years).

State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a
county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20
years).

Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native
status is shown on the map.

Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.


NORTH AMERICA DISTRIBUTION

Adapted from BONAP data



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FACTS

With its majestic, vase-shaped form accentuated by long, drooping branches,
American elm is one of New England's most beautiful trees and was once a
ubiquitous and monumental street tree in most towns. However, Dutch elm disease
(a fungus introduced in imported logs from Europe in 1930) has decimated the
species and large, mature individuals are now rare. Its wood has a high moisture
content and its interlocking grain is difficult to split, making it useless for
firewood and challenging to use for woodworking except for veneer and
manufacturing hockey sticks and boxes.


HABITAT

Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), floodplain (river or stream
floodplains), forests, meadows and fields, shores of rivers or lakes, swamps


CHARACTERISTICS

Habitat
 * terrestrial
 * wetlands

New England state
 * Connecticut
 * Maine
 * Massachusetts
 * New Hampshire
 * Rhode Island
 * Vermont

Growth form the plant is a tree Leaf type the leaf blade is simple (i.e., lobed
or unlobed but not separated into leaflets) Leaves per node there is one leaf
per node along the stem Leaf blade edges the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
Leaf duration the leaves drop off in winter (or they wither but persist on the
plant) armature on plant the plant does not have spines, prickles, or thorns
Leaf blade length 70–140 mm Leaf blade width 30–70 mm Leaf stalk the leaves have
leaf stalks Fruit type (general) the fruit is dry but does not split open when
ripe Bark texture the bark of an adult plant is ridged or plated Twig winter
color
 * brown
 * gray
 * red

Bud scale number there are three or more scales on the winter bud, and they
overlap like shingles, with one edge covered and the other edge exposed
Show all characteristics


 * BUDS OR LEAF SCARS
   
   Bud scale number there are three or more scales on the winter bud, and they
   overlap like shingles, with one edge covered and the other edge exposed Bud
   scar shape (Fraxinus) NA Collateral buds there are no collateral buds on the
   sides of the branches Leaf scar arrangement there is one leaf scar per node
   on the stem or twig Superposed buds there are no superposed buds on the
   branch Winter bud distribution the winter buds are distributed fairly evenly
   along the twig Winter bud scale hairs
    * the winter bud scales are hairy
    * the winter bud scales have no hairs on them
   
   Winter bud scales the winter bud is perulate (partially or completely covered
   with one or more scales) Winter bud shape the winter buds are ovoid
   (egg-shaped) Winter bud stalks
    * the winter buds have no stalks
    * the winter buds have short stalks


 * FLOWERS
   
   Anther color there is a noticeable pink, reddish or purplish tint to the
   anthers Carpels fused the carpels are fused to one another Enlarged sterile
   flowers there are no enlarged sterile flowers on the plant Flower appearance
   the flowers appear before the leaves Flower petal color
    * red
    * yellow or green
   
   Flower symmetry there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the
   flower is radially symmetrical) Hairs on ovary (Amelanchier) NA Inflorescence
   position the inflorescences grow on older branches Inflorescence type the
   inflorescence is a fascicle (compact cluster of flowers) Number of pistils 1
   Ovary position the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
   Petal and sepal arrangement the flower includes only one cycle of petals or
   sepals Petal appearance the petals are thin and delicate, and pigmented
   (colored other than green or brown) Petal fusion the perianth parts are fused
   to form a tube, cup, or bell shape Sepal appearance the sepals resemble
   petals in color and texture Sepal cilia (Ilex) NA Sepal tip glands there are
   no glands at the tips of the sepal lobes Sepals fused only to sepals the
   sepals are fused to each other (not other flower parts), at least near their
   bases Stamen number
    * 7
    * 8
    * 9
   
   Stamen position relative to petals the stamens are lined up with the sepals
   (antesepalous) Stamens fused the stamens are not fused to one another


 * FRUITS OR SEEDS
   
   Berry color NA Fruit type (general) the fruit is dry but does not split open
   when ripe Fruit type (specific) the fruit is an achene (dry, usually
   1-seeded, does not separate or split open at maturity) Nut with spines
   (Fagaceae) NA Wings on fruit the fruit has one or more wings on it


 * GLANDS OR SAP
   
   Sap color the sap is clear and watery Stalked glands on fruit (Rosa) NA


 * GROWTH FORM
   
   Growth form the plant is a tree


 * LEAVES
   
   Hairs on underside of leaf blade
    * the underside of the leaf has hairs on it
    * the underside of the leaf has no hairs
   
   Hairs on upper side of leaf blade the upper side of the leaf is not hairy, or
   has very few hairs Leaf blade base shape
    * The base of the leaf blade is cordate (heart-shaped, with rounded lobes)
    * the base of the leaf blade is rounded
    * the base of the leaf blade is truncate (ends abruptly in a more or less
      straight line as though cut off)
   
   Leaf blade base symmetry the leaf blade base is asymmetrical Leaf blade bloom
   the underside of the leaf has no noticeable bloom Leaf blade edges the edge
   of the leaf blade has teeth Leaf blade edges (Acer) NA Leaf blade flatness
   the leaf is flat (planar) at the edges Leaf blade hairs the hairs on the leaf
   blade are different from the choices given Leaf blade length 70–140 mm Leaf
   blade scales there are no scales on the leaf blades Leaf blade shape
    * the leaf blade is elliptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both
      ends)
    * the leaf blade is oblong (rectangular but with rounded ends)
    * the leaf blade is obovate (egg-shaped, but with the widest point above the
      middle of the leaf blade)
    * the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at
      both ends)
   
   Leaf blade texture
    * the leaf blade is chartaceous (thin and dry like paper)
    * the leaf blade is herbaceous (has a leafy texture)
   
   Leaf blade translucent dots there are no translucent dots on the leaf blade
   Leaf blade vein pattern the main veins of the leaf blade are pinnate (the
   secondary veins branch off at intervals from the main central vein) and
   non-arcuate (not arched towards the leaf tip) Leaf blade veins the leaf blade
   has one main vein running from the base toward the tip Leaf blade width 30–70
   mm Leaf duration the leaves drop off in winter (or they wither but persist on
   the plant) Leaf form the plant is broad-leaved (with broadly flattened leaf
   blades) Leaf lobe tips (Quercus) NA Leaf midrib glands the midrib of the leaf
   blade lacks glands on the upper surface Leaf stalk the leaves have leaf
   stalks Leaf stalk attachment to leaf the petiole attaches at the basal margin
   of the leaf blade Leaf stalk nectaries there are no nectaries on the leaf
   stalk Leaf stalk shape the leaf stalk is not flattened Leaf teeth the leaf
   blade margin has teeth, which themselves have smaller teeth on them Leaf
   teeth hairs (Carya) NA Leaf type the leaf blade is simple (i.e., lobed or
   unlobed but not separated into leaflets) Leaves per node there is one leaf
   per node along the stem Specific leaf type the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed
   or unlobed but not separated into leaflets Stipules there are no stipules on
   the plant, or they fall off as the leaf expands


 * PLACE
   
   Habitat
    * terrestrial
    * wetlands
   
   New England state
    * Connecticut
    * Maine
    * Massachusetts
    * New Hampshire
    * Rhode Island
    * Vermont
   
   Specific habitat
    * forests
    * man-made or disturbed habitats
    * meadows or fields
    * river or stream floodplains
    * shores of rivers or lakes
    * swamps


 * SCENT
   
   Plant odor the plant does not have much of an odor, or it has an unpleasant
   or repellant odor


 * STEM, SHOOT, BRANCH
   
   Aerial roots the plant has no aerial roots Bark texture the bark of an adult
   plant is ridged or plated Branch brittleness (willows only) NA Branch
   cross-section the branch is circular in cross-section, or it has five or more
   sides, so that there are no sharp angles First-year cane (Rubus) NA Lenticels
   on twigs there are clearly lenticels on the twigs Short shoots there are no
   peg- or knob-like shoots present Twig bloom there is no bloom on the twig
   Twig hairs
    * the twigs have few or no hairs on them
    * the twigs have hairs, but the hairs do not have glands
   
   Twig papillae (Vaccinium species only) NA Twig scales there are no scales on
   the twig surface Twig winter color
    * brown
    * gray
    * red
   
   Wings on branch the branch does not have wings on it armature on plant the
   plant does not have spines, prickles, or thorns


WETLAND STATUS

Usually occurs in wetlands, but occasionally in non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator
code: FACW)


NEW ENGLAND DISTRIBUTION AND CONSERVATION STATUS


DISTRIBUTION

Connecticut present Maine present Massachusetts present New Hampshire present
Rhode Island present Vermont present


CONSERVATION STATUS

Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check
with your state.

Maine unranked (S-rank: SNR) Massachusetts fairly widespread (S-rank: S4)


NATIVE TO NORTH AMERICA?

Yes


SOMETIMES CONFUSED WITH

Ulmus rubra: leaf blade with usually 2 or more lateral veins forking well before
reaching margin and wing of fruit lacking marginal cilia and hairy over the body
of seed (vs. U. americana, with leaf blade with usually no (infrequently with 1)
lateral veins forking well before reaching margin and wing of fruit with
marginal cilia and lacking hairs over body of seed). Ulmus thomasii:
inflorescence a raceme-like cyme, up to 5 cm long, samaras pubescent over the
surface of body and wing, and branches often irregularly winged with 2 or more
corky plates (vs. U. americana, with the inflorescence a dense fascicle usually
shorter than 2.5 cm, samaras glabrous over the surface of body and wing, and
branches lacking irregular corky wings).


FAMILY

Ulmaceae


GENUS

Ulmus

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FROM THE DICHOTOMOUS KEY OF FLORA NOVAE ANGLIAE

1.  Ulmus americana L. N

American elm. CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Upland and riparian, deciduous forests,
swamps, field edges, roadsides, river banks. See Ulmus rubra for an additional
character to separate vegetative individuals of these two species.



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