TEEES, SHEUBS, AND FOEESTS 



393 



ULMAUEAE (ELM FAMILY) 

 THE WHITE ELM (ULMUS AMERICANA) 



Habitat and habit. The white elm, with its near relatives the 

 slippery elm (Ulmus fulva) and the cork elm (Ulmus racemosa*), 

 occupies a wide area in the United States from the Rocky 

 Mountains to the 

 eastern seaboard. In 

 these regions it does 

 not form pure forest 

 stands like many other 

 forest trees, but occurs 

 with such moisture- 

 loving trees as the 

 cottonwoods, silver 

 maples, and syca- 

 mores along streams, 

 in river bottoms, in 

 farm wood-lots, and 

 on lawns where there 

 is good, well-drained 

 soil. It rarely occurs 

 among oaks, pines, 

 and hickories, which 

 grow in drier soils. 



The elm should 

 also be classed as an 

 intolerant tree, since 

 it needs plenty of 

 light for its best de- 

 velopment. The graceful habit of the elm makes it one of the 

 most valuable of trees for ornamental purposes on private lawns 

 and as a shade tree in public parks and city streets. 



Reproduction. The flowers of the elms occur in dense, raceme- 

 like clusters, or fascicles, which open in early spring before the 

 leaves are out (Fig. 247). The flowers on different parts of 



FIG. 245. Tree trunk and bark of the white elm 

 Photograph furnished by United States Forest Service 



