Scots elm

Short Description

The Scots elm is a deciduous tree and has a broad irregular many-domed crown. It can grow up to 20 m tall.

The leaves grow alternately on the branch. They are oval and frequently have three lobes. The upper surface is often rough. The leaf base is clearly asymmetric and the leaf margin double-serrated.

The trunk is often leaning or not quite upright with arched and almost horizontal branches. The bark remains smooth and silver-grey for a long time. With age, though, it becomes increasingly darker and develops longitudinal cracks.

The flowers appear in dense greenish-brown clusters. The individual florets are inconspicuous with a red ciliated perianth and clearly extending stamens. They have a short stalk.

The fruits are broad winged nuts. They ripen from greenish to whitish.

In the city

The Scots elm is often planted in parks. The associated garden varieties are most frequently planted. Elms are well able to cope with droughts and shady sites and are thus well suited to parking places and pedestrian areas. As elms tend to develop a shallow root system which can lift pavement or road surfaces, they are less suitable as roadside trees.