Ulmus crassifolia

Ulmus crassifolia Nutt., the Texas cedar elm or simply cedar elm, is a deciduous tree native to south central North America, mainly in southern and eastern Texas, southern Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana, with small populations in western Mississippi, southwest Tennessee and north central Florida; it also occurs in northeastern Mexico. It is the most common elm tree in Texas. The tree typically grows well in flat valley bottom areas referred to as ‘Cedar Elm Flats’. The common name ‘cedar elm’ is derived from the trees’ association with juniper trees, locally known as cedars.

Description

The cedar elm is a medium to large deciduous tree growing to 24-27 m tall with a rounded crown. Its leaves measure 2.5-5 cm in length by 1.3-2cm wide and have an oblique base. This distinguishes it from Ulmus Serotina, which is easy to hybridize in the wild. Leaf fall is late, often in early winter. Wind-pollinated perfect wind-pollinated flowers are produced in late summer or early autumn. They are small and discreet, with a purple-reddish color. The fruit is a small winged samara 8-10 mm long, maturing quickly after the flowering in late fall.

Cultivation

U. crassifolia is extremely rare in cultivation in Europe and Australasia. Specimens were supplied by the Spath nursery of Berlin from the late 19th century. Henry (1913) and Bean (1988) note that it does not thrive in northern Europe, where the branchlets often die back. Three trees supplied by Spath to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh in 1902 as U. crassifolia may survive in Edinburgh as it was the practice of the garden to distribute trees about the city (viz. the Wentworth elm).