Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Learn to recognize an elm based on general characteristics
• Method 2 of 3: Observe the tree carefully
• Method 3 of 3: Learn to recognize the changes of the Elm over the seasons
• Tips

The Elm provides shade in the garden and on both sides of the streets, making it one of the most common trees available. Variants of the Elm can be found all over the world. There are more than thirty types of elm, most of which have some similarities: green, double-sawn leaves that turn yellow in autumn, gray-brown bark with deep grooves in it, and the shape of the tree that is reminiscent of a vase. These features make it easy to distinguish the Elm from other trees. Unfortunately, many old elms are threatened by Dutch elm disease. The disease can be used to determine whether there is an elm or not.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Learn to recognize an elm based on general characteristics

1. Examine the leaves of the tree. Elm leaves alternate along both sides of the stem. The blade is oval in shape, tapering to a point. The edges of the leaf are double sawn, and the leaf veins are clearly visible. The leaves have a crooked base. There are many elm species whose leaves are smooth on the top and fluffy on the underside.
   • The leaves of an American Elm can be as long as 10 to 15 cm, but are usually 10 cm long.
   • The leaves of the English Elm are usually 10 cm long and 7 cm wide. They have 10 to 12 veins.
   • The European White Elm sometimes has as many as 17 veins on the front of the leaf, and 14 on the back.
2. Look at the tree bark. The bark of an Elm is rough and coarse, with intersecting edges. The color is light gray to dark gray brown. The tree bark has deep grooves.
   • The Siberian Elm is an exception to this, and often has green or orange bark that peels off like a birch.
   • The bark on the European White Elm remains smooth, even in mature trees, in contrast to other elm species.
   • The Cedar Elm has a lighter purple-gray bark than most varieties.
3. Look at the total height and width. An adult Elm can reach a height of 35 m, with a tree trunk of 175 cm in diameter. Depending on the species or cultivar, the Elm can grow up to 9 to 18 meters wide. Most American elm species are getting wider, with some reaching 39 m high and 37 wide.
   • The shape of most elm species is most reminiscent of a vase or a fountain.
4. Look at the trunk. An elm usually has a trunk that branches into several trunks. Often there are two or more stems growing from the main stem. If you see a tree with only one central vertical trunk, it is not an elm.
5. Look at the place where the tree is. Use the location of the elm to determine whether it is an elm or not. Each Elm species is linked to specific places on the earth. For example, the American Elm is mainly found in the Eastern United States, from the Rocky Mountains to the East. They are less common on the west side of the Rocky Mountains, although they are also found in California.
   • The Siberian Elm (also known as the Asian, Chinese or Lacebark Elm) is found in Central Asia, Inner Mongolia, Siberia, India and Korea.
   • The European Elm is found all over Europe. Before Elm Disease, English elm trees were also common all over Europe, but they are now mainly found in Portugal, France, Spain and England.
   • If you know that there are many elms in certain places, and the tree broadly matches the descriptions of the elm, then it is probably an elm. Look for areas that are likely to have healthy elms.
   • The Elm can adapt to different climates and vegetation, including poor or slightly salty soil, extreme cold temperatures, air pollution, and drought. The Elm thrives best in places with full sun or partial shade; in moist soil where water can drain well.

Method 2 of 3: Observe the tree carefully

1. Look at the animals that the tree attracts. Many animals, insects, and birds are part of the same ecosystem as that of the Elm. For example, the American Elm attracts birds and mammals (mice, squirrels, and possums) that feed on the flower buds. Deer and rabbits like to gnaw on the bark and small branches of young elm trees. If you see a lot of animals and insects around a tree, it could be an Elm.
   • You may see caterpillars devouring the leaves.
   • Woodpeckers, raccoons, squirrels and great tits like to choose the Elm as a place to live.
   • Slippery elms also attract a variety of birds, who like to eat the flower buds as a snack.
2. See if any roots are visible. The root base of an Elm is supported by a visible, hollow root system that extends widely. The bark of the roots has the same texture and color as the bark on the rest of the tree. Check if you can see the roots of the tree near the ground, although this is not always visible on young elms.
3. Check for diseased trees. Elms often suffer from Elm disease. As the name suggests, the disease only affects the Elm, so if you see trees with the Elm disease you can say that it is an Elm. Note the following features:
   • Dead leaves that have not yet fallen off the tree
   • Yellow or otherwise discolored leaves in fall or spring
   • Drooping leaves and young shoots that are visible at the same time

Method 3 of 3: Learn to recognize the changes of the Elm over the seasons

1. See if any flowers grow on it. Depending on the species of the Elm, you may or may not be able to see flowers growing on the Elm. The European White Elm, for example, has small purple flowers in early spring. The Scottish Elm has roughly the same flowers, which are red-purple and grow on the tree in the spring.
   • The Zelkova, a species of elm from the Caucasus, has small green flowers that also grow in the spring.
   • Small clusters with red flowers grow on the English Elm in early spring.
   • Sometimes the flowers of the Elm are hidden behind the leaves, if the Elm has already grown leaves, so look carefully at the tree before determining whether it is an Elm or not.
2. Look at the seeds of the Elm. The seeds of the Elm form in the spring, just after the tree is in bloom, after which the seeds fall from the tree. They are easy to recognize. The seeds of an Elm are round, flat and covered with a thin layer that looks like paper and has a kind of hook on the top.
   • Most elm varieties have seeds that are about the size of a pea.
   • The seeds are contained in a green, thin, oval shell that resembles the wing of the insect the samara.
   • When the seeds are ripened, they change from green to a yellow-brown color that resembles hay.
3. View the Elm in the fall. Look at the trees in the fall, when the leaves change color. Many elm species have leaves that turn bright yellow in the fall, and sometimes yellow-purple as well. For example, the Scottish and English Elm are known to turn bright yellow in the fall. There are often flowers hidden behind the leaves that still hang from the summer time, so check carefully before determining whether you are dealing with an Elm or not.
4. Watch the tree closely when it is winter. The Elm is a deciduous tree, which means that the tree loses its leaves every year. This process begins in the fall. By the time winter arrives, there are no more leaves on the tree, and when spring arrives the tree will again form leaves. If you find this process of forming and losing foliage, you may be dealing with an elm.

Tips

• You can learn more about the Elm and learn how to recognize it with the tree app (treesapp.nl) and on various sites on the internet.
• The Elm is susceptible to all kinds of diseases, including Elm Disease. This is a fungal disease that is spread by insects. You can recognize the disease in an Elm if you see drooping young shoots or leaves, large patches of dead leaves, or yellowing leaves that are still young and visible when it is not autumn.