Ryan Taylor’s Tree PresentationCommon

Name:American Elm

Scientific Name:

Ulmus rubra

                                                 

              

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Plantaes Division: spermatophyta Class: angiospermae Order: Urticales Family: Ulmaceae Genuis: Ulmus Species: americana

Description of the Tree Height Extreme: 125’ Average Height: 80’ DBH Average DBH: 48”-60” Records: No written records Branching Pattern: Mostly Opposite Age Average Age: 175-200 years Records: Some are over 300 years old.

Description of Leaves

Deciduous Alternate arrangement of the stem

Simple division of the blade. Elliptical leaf shape

Acuminate apex Oblique leaf base.

The form of the leaf is ovate-oblong Bud-Fat and Round

Leafs turn yellow in the fall

Root System

The roots reach a depth of .9-1.2m in heavy wet soil, in drier areas the roots develop a tap water system reaching down to 5.5-6.1m

Surface roots can lift sidewalks or break up lawns.

Reproduction

The flower of the American Elm contains both male and female organs.

They are self-pollinating flowers. The fruit of the American Elm are called

samaras. These fruits are flat and oval.

Distribution in the world

The American elm was one of the most widely spread trees in North America.

The tree is now only located in the Midwest-Eastern part of North America.

Dutch Elm Disease is the major cause of their, diminish.

Growth Environment

The American elm, can grow almost everywhere in North America, except southern California and Southern Florida.

The soils the tree can grow in are well-drained sand, poorly drained clay, prairie loams, organic bogs, slit, and many other intermediate combinations.

Ecological Importance-Fungi & Animals Living in and on the American Elm.

Pileated Woodpecker Eastern Gray Squirrel Carolina Chickadee Raccoon Black Rat Snake. Big Brown Bat Mourning Cloak Blue Jay Virginia Opossum Dogday Harvestfly Eastern Tiger

Swallowtail

Painted Lady European Gypsy Moth White-Tailed Deer True Katydid Tufted Titmouse Polyphemus Moth Oystershell Scale Oyster Mushroom Honey Mushroom Mossy Maple Polypore Artist’s Conch Turkey Tail

Ecological Importance-Animals that feed on the American Elm

Eastern Gray Squirrel White-Tailed Deer Golden Northern Bumble Bee Virginia Opossum Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Painted Lady Mourning Cloak Eastern Subterranean Termite Oystershell Scale Woodchuck Wood Duck

American Goldfinch True Katydid White-Throated

Sparrow Beaver Muskrat Eastern Cottaintail

Economic Importance of the American Elm

Most useable wood from the American Elm is used for Hockey Sticks.

The American Elm used to be widely used as shade trees and as an important wood for furniture.

An American Elm is no longer used for anything since the spread of Dutch Elm Disease.

References

http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/StratfordLandingES/Ecology/mpages/american_elm.htm

http://www.oplin.lib.oh.us/products/tree/fact%20pages/elm_american/elm_american.html

http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/trees/ulmamea.pdf http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/silvics_manual/

volume_2/ulmus/americana.htm http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/silvics_manual/

volume_2/ulmus/americana.htm