Elm trees are members of the Ulmus genus in the Ulmaceae family of plants. It is the state tree of Massachusetts and North Dakota. It can grow up to 60 feet tall, but with the prevalence of Dutch elm disease and Elm Yellows, it rarely gets that big. Major species. Elm trees are huge shade trees that can grow up to 100 ft. (30 m) tall with a wide spread of around 75 ft. (22 m). It has smooth bark, an overall round shape, and its samaras are elliptical rather than round. 20-25 feet tall and 20-30 feet wide: Sun Exposure: Full to part sun: Soil Type: Moist and sandy: Soil pH: Alkaline: Bloom Time: March and April: Flower Color : Red: Hardiness Zones: 4 to 7: Native Area: Scotland: Budding foliage of camperdown elm Alexander Bashkirov / Getty Images Twisted limbs of camperdown elm tree in winter GinnTinn / Getty Images How to Grow Camperdown Elm . Elm leaves are dark green in … Use it as a single- or multiple-trunk tree and give it plenty of water for fast growth. The fast-growing camperdown elm is a quick way to add a signature piece to your yard or landscaping, but it does require that you provide it with specific conditions for optimal growth. It typically has one trunk and features a symmetrical canopy shape. Japanese Zelkova is a tough urban tree for residential shade and street plantings. The Drake Elm has a fast rate of growth especially for the first eight to ten years. The tree is very fast growing. Which is fine in hedgerows, less good in gardens, and no use at all if you wanted to have a specimen tree. It adapts to many types of soil and prefers moist but well-drained conditions. There are 30 to 40 species of deciduous trees within the genus, some of which have been important landscape trees for centuries. It grows 3 to 6' a year and is very strong. Generally, elms prefer sun. Ideal conditions for its growth are well-drained, nutrient-poor soil, and full sun. The bark is grayish brown and the crown of the tree rounded and spreads out in an umbrella shape. North American elms can also be plagued by a disease called elm yellows (elm phloem necrosis). Like most trees, these elms are best maintained with a strong central leader (where small limbs are pruned and the main trunk is allowed to grow tall). The American elm can grow to be 40 ft tall or more. For a complimentary consultation with a certified … Some elm species have tall, upright growth, and other types of elm trees have an umbrella-shaped canopy. Dutch elm disease is is a fungal disease caused by Ophiostoma ulmi or Ophiostoma novo-ulmi, and it is spread by bark beetles: the native elm bark beetle (Hylurgopinus rufipes) and the European elm bark beetle (Scolytus multistriatus). These elms grow quickly when they are young, forming a broad, vase-shaped silhouette. American Elm trees are very large and their root systems are extensive and shallow. The English elm is very fast growing, up to 3 feet per year, and is one of the tallest elm species. Chinese elm is a tough tree, tolerant of urban air and soils, and resistant to Dutch elm disease. Top Answer. Cal Poly. The Princeton American Elm tree is a very fast growing tree. What I have found is that if an elm tree is larger than about 4 feet, spraying the leaves like this won’t completely kill the tree. The Patriot elm has excellent resistance to Dutch elm disease (DED), excellent resistance to elm leaf beetles, and some resistance to elm yellows. Most species produce flowers that develop into a fruiting body called samaras, each containing one seed. Height: Elm trees are tall trees with expansive canopies which is why they have been valued as a shade tree. Keep in mind that these elms thrive in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 9. Mature bark, Slippery Elm U. rubra. Trees rated as fast growing were at least 25 feet tall after 10 years. 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