here's more info about elms... Elms are in the genus
Ulmus, and are found in temperate areas throughout
North America,
Europe, and
Asia. Their leaves are generally
small and have
serrated edges.
Elms are a common landscape tree; however before choosing an elm in your
landscape you should keep some things in mind. There are several types of elm, some of the most popular are the
American Elm, the
Siberian Elm, and the
Chinese Elm.
The american elm is a beautiful, graceful tree. However, it has been ravaged by Dutch Elm Disease and most of the american elms in cities, as well as in Eastern forests, have been tragically killed. American Elm clings to life only on the far west coast where the disease hasnt totally penetrated. I remember them taking out some beautiful American Elms a block from my childhood home because they were dying.
Chinese elm is a much more common street tree these days; although they arent quite as graceful as American Elm, they are beautiful trees with puzzle-shaped bark pieces and a nice form. They shouldnt be planted right next to sidewalks as the roots tend to tear them up. Also, they can lose branches, especially if trimmed improperly.
siberian elm is also a graceful tree, looking more like American Elm than Chinese Elm. it isnt used much in landscaping
zelkovas are also in the elm family, they look similar except for the different seed pod structure.