Types of Elm Trees: How to Identify an Elm Tree

Elm trees (in the family Ulmaceae and genus Ulmus) are large shade trees with round, serrated leaves and circular, papery seed cases called samaras. There are thirty-five deciduous or semi-deciduous species of elm trees across North America, Europe, and Asia. While deciduous species lose their leaves during the cold months, semi-deciduous species only lose their leaves during a short regrowth period.

There are a few key characteristics that can help you identify an elm tree:

• Round, serrated leaves: The elm leaves of most species are circular or ovate, with serrated edges, a pointed tip, and bright veins.
• Alternating leaf growth: Most species of elms grow leaves in an alternating pattern on each branch so that every new leaf will grow opposite the previous one for a dense, symmetric look.
• Samaras: Elm trees enclose their seeds inside papery fruiting bodies called samaras. Unlike the iconic “helicopter samaras” of maple trees, elms have round and thin samaras with a single seed in the center.
• Large canopy: Most mature elm trees are tall and dense, with the largest species growing up to one hundred feet tall and seventy-five feet wide.

Here is a list of the most common species of elm trees:

1. 1. American elm (Ulmus americana): The American elm is an iconic North American landscape tree, tall with a distinctive vase shape, featured as the state tree of Massachusetts and North Dakota. However, in the 1930s, a micro fungus called Dutch elm disease (DED)—spread by elm bark beetles—ravaged the American elm population across North America and Europe, wiping out a majority of the mature trees. In recent years, arborists have developed disease-resistant varieties to help combat DED. One popular elm cultivar, the Florida elm tree (Ulmus americana var. floridana), is a smaller, fast-growing cousin of the American elm and a popular street tree.
2. 2. Cedar elm (Ulmus crassifolia): The cedar elm tree has small leaves and grows in a branching crown-like shape. Other common names for Cedar elms include the southern rock elm or Texas elm. This species has a high susceptibility to Dutch elm disease.
3. 3. Cherry-bark elm (Ulmus villosa): The cherry-bark elm tree is one of the few elm species with smooth bark instead of fissured, flaky bark.
4. 4. Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia): These smaller elm trees have oblong, leathery, dark green leaves and distinctive gray or brown bark that flakes off to reveal orange inner bark beneath. This unique characteristic earned the species the nickname “lacebark elm.” The Chinese elm is especially popular because it’s DED-resistant.
5. 5. David elm (Ulmus davidiana): A smaller species that grows across Asia, the David elm is a common ancestor to many disease-resistant hybrid elms.
6. 6. English elm (Ulmus procera): A popular cultivar, English elm ‘Atinia’ (Ulmus minor ‘Atinia’) is often called the “common elm” due to its spread across Europe. This deciduous cultivar grows quickly and can reach heights of eighty feet.
7. 7. European white elm (Ulmus laevis): Similar in appearance to the Wych elm, European white elms are deciduous trees that are among the first to drop their leaves in cold weather.
8. 8. Field elm (Ulmus minor): The field elm grows a tall and slender trunk and bears small, delicate green leaves.
9. 9. Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila): The Siberian elm is large and invasive, with the most diversity and range in the species, growing across Central Asia, Siberia, and India.
10. 10. Slippery elm (Ulmus rubra): Also called the red elm, the slippery elm tree has reddish-brown inner bark that secretes a sticky substance, giving the tree its common name.
11. 11. Wych elm tree (Ulmus glabra): The Wych elm is a cold-hardy species that grows one of the tallest canopies of any elm species. One popular cultivar— the Camperdown Elm tree (Ulmus glabra ‘Camperdownii’) or weeping elm—grows drooping branches similar to a willow tree.

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