Elm Tree

Indigenous to the North American region is the tree, Ulmus Americana, more commonly known as the American elm. The elm tree is currently the official state tree of Massachusetts and also has remained the state tree of North Dakota since 1947. These trees have a life expectancy of one-hundred-fifty years and rapidly grow when young, reaching heights anywhere up to eighty to one hundred feet as well as spanning from sixty to one-hundred-twenty feet in overall width.

As a result of the vase-shaped form and arching widespread branch structure of the tree, it would likely best flourish in a spacious environment to compensate its maturation process. Like most deciduous trees, the tree sheds its yellowish-brown leaves in autumn preparing for dormancy as winter soon approaches, but on the more sweltering days of summer, this tree is able to cast an immense amount of shade.

The wood from it is lightly colored and durable with interlocked grain; it is used for wooden crates and furniture parts, amongst various other items. The external bark of it is grayish-brown in color and displays the presence of a ridged surface. The oblong, oval-shaped leaves on an American elm perpetually alternate in their assortment. The dense leaves possess a sharp point with double-toothed margins and radiate with a bold green color.

Another desirable quality of it is its ability to thrive in many soil types, moisture, and weather conditions. The preferable soil for it is a slightly moist, rich loam containing clay and sand, but it can also thrive moderately in poorly drained soils. They have been known to withstand temperatures as low as forty-four degrees below zero in the winter.

Currently, there are hybrid elm trees in development being spliced with its foreign variants to prevent the potential of any negative effects the presence of this awe-inspiring tree could have residentially.