American Elm Plant Care

American Elm (Ulmus americana) belongs to the Ulmaceae family within the Ulmus genus. American Elm is native to Eastern and Central North America, Great Plains, Florida. American Elm is also known as White Elm, Water Elm, Soft Elm.

American Elm displays a fast growing growth habit, reaching up to 80 ft tall with a spread of approximately 60 ft. American Elm produces small, greenish-red in color.

Leaf size: approximately 4 inches.

Water a young or newly planted American Elm every 7–14 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established trees mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

American Elm thrives in full sun.

Ulmus americana tolerates temperatures of 60–90°F. American Elm prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.

well-draining soil mix. Good drainage is essential for American Elm to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed American Elm every 2 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established trees in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun and well-draining soil mix. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

American Elm is suited to USDA Zone 3a – 9b.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped trees in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

American Elm can spread to about 60 ft (18.3 m) and reach about 80 ft (24 m) tall. Space plants about 60 ft (18.3 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the tree spacing calculator.

Prune American Elm while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the tree in one year.

American Elm is hardy down to USDA zone 3a, so once established it can stay outdoors through winter in that zone and warmer ones.

Water deeply in late autumn before the ground freezes, and spread a 5–8 cm (2–3 in) layer of mulch over the root zone, keeping it away from the trunk.

Young and container-grown trees need extra protection: roots in a pot freeze much more easily than roots in the ground.

American Elm can be propagated through by seeds or cuttings. Similar propagation techniques also apply to wych elm plant care, which shares the same genus.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

American Elm is susceptible to elm leaf beetles, aphids, caterpillars. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

American Elm grows outdoors in USDA Zone 3a – 9b. It survives winters down to planting zone 3a. American Elm is native to Eastern and Central North America, Great Plains, Florida.