American elm

American elm (Ulmus americana) is a deciduous tree native to eastern and central North America, known for its arching branches and vase-shaped crown. It was widely planted as a street and shade tree before Dutch elm disease devastated many populations.

Ulmus: Ulmus is a genus of deciduous trees commonly known as elms, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. American elm is one of the genus’s largest and most widely recognized North American species.
Dutch elm disease: Dutch elm disease is a fungal disease of elms that blocks water-conducting tissues and can kill trees. It caused extensive mortality among American elms across North America.
Street tree: A street tree is a tree planted along a road or sidewalk to provide shade, beauty, and environmental benefits. American elm’s high arching canopy made it a classic street-tree choice.
Dutch elm disease in North America: Dutch elm disease in North America is the epidemic that spread through native and planted elms after the disease’s introduction. The epidemic removed millions of mature American elms from city streets and rural landscapes.
Ulmaceae: Ulmaceae is a family of flowering plants that includes elms and several related tree genera. This family places American elm among its botanical relatives.
Ophiostoma ulmi: Ophiostoma ulmi is a fungus that causes Dutch elm disease in susceptible elm trees. This pathogen was one of the fungi responsible for the American elm epidemic.
Urban forestry: Urban forestry is the planning and management of trees and forests in towns and cities. American elm shaped urban planting programs before disease transformed street-tree choices.
Elm recovery project: An elm recovery project is a breeding or conservation effort to restore elm populations with resistance to Dutch elm disease. American elm restoration depends on selecting and propagating more resistant trees.
Vase-shaped crown: A vase-shaped crown is a tree form with a relatively narrow base and branches that arch outward and upward. The distinctive crown helped make American elm suitable for streets and broad avenues.
Elm bark beetle: Elm bark beetles are wood-boring insects that breed in elm bark and can transmit Dutch elm disease fungi. Beetles spread the disease between American elms as they feed and reproduce.

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