American Elm

1. American Elm Ben Ferguson

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

3. Classification Kingdom – Plantae(Plants) Subkingdom – Tracheobionta(Vascular plants) Superdivision – Spermatophtyta(Seed plants) Division – Magnoliophyta(Flowering plants) Class – Magnoliopsida(Dicotyledons) Subclass – Hamamelididae Order – Urticales Family – Ulmaceae(Elm family) Genus – UlmusL. (Elm) Species – UlmusamericanaL. (American Elm)

4. Shape, Form, Type American 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

5. Bark The 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

6. Twig • The twigs are tender and are somewhat zigzagged. They are reddish-brown in color. Figure 3

7. Leaf The 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

8. Bud The 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

9. Flower The flowers are small and grow in drooping clusters of 3 to 5. They appear in the early spring. Figure 6

10. Fruit The fruit are flat, rounded, and wafer-like. Hair appears along the margin of the fruit and they ripen in the spring. Figure 7

11. Habitat and Range American 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

12. Uses The 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.

13. References Images • http://www.plantcare.com/encyclopedia/american-elm-2107.aspxFigure 1 Retrieved 6/23/10 • http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/image/u/ulam--br12246.htmFigure 2 Retrieved 6/23/10 • http://www.earlham.edu/~biol/brents/field_botany/wildman1/american_elm_twig2.jpgFigure 5 Retrieved 6/23/10 • http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/species/ulam.htmFigure 3 Retrieved 6/23/10 • http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/species/ulam.htmFigure 4 Retrieved 6/23/10 • http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/species/ulam.htm#FlowerFigure 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.htmFigure 8 Retrieved 6/23/10

14. References Information • http://www.plantcare.com/encyclopedia/american-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