Elm trees are a popular tree, as well as they are widespread. You may not know much about them, other than that they are deciduous tree that grows pretty tall, similar to the rest of them. These trees are more common than you might think, and you might wonder where exactly they can be found.
Elm trees are more than just popular, the American Elm is the most commonly planted species in North America. Elm trees, no matter the species, can be found in the Americas, the United Kingdom, mainland Europe, and all across Asia.
Stick around for a while to learn more about all of the different areas where you’ll find elm trees commonly planted. Before you know it, maybe you’ll even be the proud owner of an American Elm, Cedar Elm, English Elm, Chinese Elm, or another one of the many types of elm tree out there!
Do Elm Trees Only Grow In Certain Places?
Okay, before we get into the nitty gritty about where we can find elm trees, how widespread they are, that sort of thing, let’s talk about whether they can be found everywhere.
The answer to this is that elm trees are adaptable. They will grow almost anywhere that they are already found, even if conditions are not great.
So, across the North American continent, as well as most other parts of the world that can host this tree, you’ll find elms popping up in meadows or forests, a city street or the suburbs, on a farm, or even as the base for a tree house.
Plus, with so many advantages like providing extremely durable hardwood (check out our article to learn more), there’s no wonder why elms are so popular!
Where Did Elm Trees Originate?
According to North Carolina State University, elm trees, known scientifically as Ulmus, are said to have originated in Asia a good 20 million years ago.
Eventually, the elm tree spread across Eurasia and to the Americas, placing roots all across the Northern Hemisphere.
According to the University of Kentucky, American elms also had quite an important place in North American society before the settlement of Europeans. These trees were often chosen by Native Americans as signposts for important tribal meetings and gatherings
Elm Tree Characteristics
American Elm is one of the easiest trees to recognize from a distance.
The tree forms in a vase-like shape, where the base of the trunk appears to split higher up into two different main portions of the elm tree – let’s talk about it!
The Trunk Of An Elm Is Typically Split
This split of the trunk into two equally significant parts of the tree results in a shape that looks like the letters y or v, or a vase, depending on how low the trunk splits and what the overall appearance is.
Keep in mind that this is not true for all elms, as some grow more compactly. So, if you see a tree that you think is going to be an American elm but is not split into a vase-like shape, you could still be right.
Lumber producers prefer elms that have not split, or are more compact at the least because they are more manageable.
Elm Trees Are Deciduous
Elm trees are large, deciduous, and semi-deciduous trees, meaning that they typically lose their leaves as the dormant period begins over the winter months.
However, sometimes new leaf growth on an elm may already be starting as all of the leaves are falling off in the cold.
This is why elm trees are categorized as either deciduous, where they lose their leaves for a longer period, or semi-deciduous, where they act closer to evergreen trees and see more continuous leaf growth.
Elm Tree Growing Zones
Elm trees are adaptable plants, but there are still regions where they will be able to do better for longer.
These trees tend to grow best in areas that have full sun, or partial shade and can thrive in soil that is either moist or well-drained.
Elm trees will do better in soil that is well-drained, but their ability to be flexible makes them a bit more tolerant to drought, as well as able to grow in the wetter ground.
According to the USDA, in the United States, you’ll find elm trees mainly located in Hardiness Zones 3-9 – we will talk more about hardiness zones later, but without further ado – let’s get to where elm trees grow!
6 Common Places That Elm Trees Grow
We know that elm trees were first found in what is now Central Asia, and have spread to much of the world.
Now, the part we’ve been waiting for! Let’s dive into where elm trees actually grow.
North America- United States
The American Elm is one that we have already discussed a good deal but is a significant member of the elm family, and can be found most often in the Eastern United States.
This is not the only elm, that we’ll see in the Americas, though. There is also the Cedar Elm, which is much more commonly seen in the southern part of the states, and the slippery elm which is found in the central and Eastern United States.
North America has many different types of elm trees, though they may not all successfully reach maturity the way that elms in other parts of the world do.
North America- Canada
The Slippery Elm is most commonly found in the Central and Eastern United States areas, but it is also found in Canada.
The American Elm is another one that has spread up across the border, especially thanks to its East Coast roots. Regardless of whether elm trees prefer the middle or the east side of the States, they are bound to move up into nearby areas of Canada, too.
Trees don’t really stick to borders well, so you’ll see the same types of elms in Canada as you would in the United States.
Eastern Asia
In Eastern Asia, you’ll find versions of the elm tree like the Siberian Elm, David Elm, Cherry-Bark Elm, and Chinese Elm.
Since the elm tree originated nearby, in Central Asia, it is no surprise that there are many types of elms found in this part of the world.
The elm trees in Asia are also much more durable when it comes to fungus and other pathogens because they have been around longer than the varieties that we see in North America.
You’ll see the elm trees listed above in places like Japan, Korea, Siberia, parts of China, parts of Mongolia, and more.
Central Asia
Elm trees originated in this very part of the world, so it is no wonder that the biggest inclusion of countries with elm trees happens to be in this section.
The elm trees found here are the Siberian Elm, David Elm, Chinese Elm, and Cherry-Bark Elm.
Tibet, India, Siberia, Vietnam, the Himalayas, parts of China, parts of Mongolia, and other parts of Central Asia are home to these varieties of an elm tree.
Just like in Eastern Asia, the elm trees here are much more resistant to fungus and pathogens that threaten them, because they’ve been around for long enough to build immunity. In fact, this part of the world has the oldest, most adaptable elm trees that can be found.
Mainland Europe
Most of mainland Europe now has at least some type of elm. For example, in Western and Southern Europe, we see the English elm growing.
In Eastern and Central Europe, the European White Elm is more popular. This is known as the Russian Elm in the United States, so you may know it by that name.
Elm trees in Europe have a mixture of the qualities that American and Asian elms seem to have. They’ve had to be tolerant for longer to fungus like Dutch disease and will be partially resilient.
United Kingdom
Unsurprisingly, trees that are in Europe have also made their way to the United Kingdom, off the coast of Western Europe. Here, you’ll see the English Elm, which is also in Western Europe.
There is also the Camperdown Elm which is more specific and requires grafting to be propagated. A more specialized tree emulates the look of a weeping willow but in elm tree form.
This unique elm variety is mainly seen in the United Kingdom, unlike the other elms that can be found in many different areas of a country or continent.
Elm Tree Scarcity in Some Places
The elm tree has been a prolific and important, stately, part of many landscapes across the world for millions of years. Will that last, though?
According to the University of Kentucky, mature elm trees have become quite scarce.
Now, this is not to say that elm trees themselves are scarce just yet. They are such prolific seeders at a young age and are not susceptible to some of the most detrimental kinds of fungus until they are older.
So, young elm tree seedlings and saplings can be found all over the place, but why are mature elm trees seeming to be found less and less? It’s because of fungus!
Fungus and Elm Trees
In 1928, a shipment of elm logs came into the Midwest United States from Europe and contained a pathogen that was new to the continent. This changed the trajectory of elm tree health and growth.
Problems like this new fungus affect trees everywhere. For example, there is an East Asian fungus and a Dutch fungus that came next. This newest fungus that was brought to North America was just the next in a line of natural opposers to the elm tree.
There is a sort of evolution that happens when a pathogen and a tree exist together for long durations, and so East Asian trees have developed a resistance to their fungus over time. However, European and American trees would not have the same resistance.
Insects Are Also To Blame
Not only was elm disease, from the fungus, spreading across Europe and America but there were also insects that caused many problems for the elm trees of the late 20th century.
An estimated 20 million mature elm trees were lost to this situation.
Mature American elms were weakened by infestation, disease, and natural conditions like droughts and fires were not helping their cause.
But, something we haven’t talked about yet is how elm trees grow! Insect and fungus aside, growing your elm tree properly is the best thing you can do for your elm tree!
How Do Elm Trees Grow?
Elm trees grow quite commonly in nature along riverbanks and in places where the soil is moist, but still able to be well-drained and fertile, all in one.
Elm trees are quite tolerant to urban conditions, making them super flexible and adaptable as we mentioned before.
Generally, especially in the United States, we see younger elm trees everywhere, but not as many mature elms, but let’s see how to grow them successfully!
Requirements To Grow A Successful Elm Tree
One of the most important things is that you know about the comprehensive conditions that are best suited to grow an elm tree. It takes more than just growing zones and a small history lesson to be prepared.
The good thing is that we know that elm trees are durable and adaptable when it comes to conditions other than fungus. So, your elm has some flexibility when it comes to the requirements below.
For the best elm tree growth, try to follow these requirements!
- Temperature: Your elm tree will thrive in hardiness zones 3a-9a, which gives a range of -40 degrees to 25 degrees as the extremely low temperatures. Your tree will thrive in areas that are coastal, mountainous, woody, or otherwise moderate in temperature and climate.
- Soil: Moist, fertile soil with good drainage is best for the elm tree. It can, however, adapt to a dryer or more clay-like soil if needed.
- Sun: Sunny conditions are great for elm trees, but so is a bit of shade. Partial shade, meaning 2-6 hours of direct sunlight during the day, is one option. Full sunlight, with 6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day is also great. Really, as long as there is a minimum of 2 hours of direct sunlight daily, your elm tree should be alright.
- Timing: Late winter to early spring, during a month like February or March, is the best time to plant your elm tree seed, seedling, or sapling. The winter frost should have died out by now, but your tree will also have some time to get established before it begins to bloom and move into its most active season.
- Watering: 1-3 waterings per week will work best for your elm tree, depending on its age and the dryness (or lack thereof) of your area. If you have a young, growing tree that is in a particularly dry patch, you may need to water more. The Flantor Garden Irrigation System will be a big help if you need to make sure your tree receives the proper amount of water, especially in a drought or if you’ll be away.
- Fertilizer: Elm trees will well when given a fertilizer like the TreeHelp Premium Fertilizer for Elms. It is specifically designed to deliver all the nutrients your tree will need.
What Are Hardiness Zones?
As promised, before we leave you be – let’s talk about hardiness zones, since hardiness zones help determine whether or not you can plant your elm!
First, you can take a look at the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. It has a map that is broken up to show what hardiness zone every part of the United States falls into.
Understanding what regions fall into what zones can be a big help as you decide whether or not to plant any given tree, including an elm, in your area.
But What Does Hardiness Refer To?
The term hardiness refers to how cold and hardy a plant is, and how much potential it has to thrive in extremely low temperatures to a certain level of coldness.
So the USDA hardiness zone map represents the potential that an area has to hit extremely low temperatures of a certain amount. It is important to realize that the temperatures you see in these hardiness zones are not just average temperatures.
Depending on how cold-hardy your tree is, you will need to plan to plant it in an area that fits the tree.
How Are Hardiness Zones Labeled?
Hardiness zones are split into 10-degree intervals.
These intervals are labeled with numbers and followed by the letter A or B as a way to further break down each zone into 5-degree intervals.
Set Your Elm Up To Be Successful With Looking At Hardiness Zones
It’s worth restating that hardiness zones refer to the average extreme low temperature, so your tree will not want these conditions constantly.
You can’t just look up an area and see that its winters tend to be that cold. This should be an extreme condition during winter that your elm tree can withstand if needed.
It’s always best to set your plants up for success, and that could even just be trying to locate a growing zone that is a bit higher on the list so that your tree doesn’t have to deal with the possibility of such low temperatures.
That’s It For Now!
All in all, Elm trees do best in growing zones 3-9, and in areas that are moderate in their temperature and overall climate.
First found in Central Asia, we can find elm trees across Asia, Europe, North America, and even on the island of the United Kingdom and its bordering territories.
Here are the 6 most common places where elm trees grow:
● North America- United States
● North America- Canada
● Eastern Asia
● Central Asia
● Europe
● The United Kingdom
The elm tree is susceptible to things like fungus and insects, particularly beetles, but is a resilient tree that seems to always find a way to persevere!
With that, happy planting and good luck as you continue along your tree journey.
References
Hubbes, M. (1999). The American elm and Dutch elm disease. The Forestry Chronicle, 75(2), 265-273.
Ke, G., & Haijiang, L. (2004). A comparative researches on the development of elm seedings in four habitats in the Hunshandak Sandland, Inner Mongolia, Chian. Acta Ecologica Sinica, 24(9), 2024-2028.
Park, G. E., Lee, D. K., Kim, K. W., Batkhuu, N. O., Tsogtbaatar, J., Zhu, J. J., … & Kim, H. S. (2016). Morphological characteristics and water-use efficiency of Siberian elm trees (Ulmus pumila L.) within arid regions of northeast Asia. Forests, 7(11), 280.
