Ulmus americana

American Elm is a native deciduous tree in the Elm Family (ULMACEAE). It can be found throughout Alabama. American Elm occurs in floodplain forests, in moist deciduous woodlands, and along fencerows. It is a medium to large sized tree growing 60-100 feet in height. The bark is gray to light brown with deep fissures. The leaves are short petiolate, alternate, oval to oblong in outline, and doubly serrate. Leaves are glabrous to slightly pubescent. The base of the leaf is inequilateral with the blade on one side of the petiole extending further down than on the other side. The leaves turn yellow then brown before leaf drop. The twigs and small limbs of American Elm are often pendulous, and are not winged. Flowers are produced in the late winter or early spring in drooping clusters. The flowers lack petals and are wind pollinated. The fruit is a flat disk-like samara with white to yellow cilia along the margins. American Elm is occasionally planted as a shade or street tree. It prefers full to partial sun and is tolerant of poor soils and drought. Dutch Elm Disease (an introduced fungal pathogen) grows and reproduces in the xylem of elm trees leading to their death. American Elm is affected by this pathogen and millions of trees throughout the United States have died from it. The leaves of American Elm are a larval food for many butterflies such as the Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma), Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis), Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) and Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax).—A. Diamond