Field Elm

Do you want to plant a Field Elm? Here you will find all the information you need on how to best plant the Field Elm, and on pruning and caring for your Field Elm.
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General characteristics of a Field Elm

Both in our nature, but also planted in parks, you can find the Field elm, Ulmus minor. The elm has an erratic growth form. The tree has oval to ovoid leaves with the characteristic crooked leaf base. The Field Elm has a rough bark that is gray-brown in color. Cork strips are sometimes visible on the branches, distinguishing this elm from most other elms. Many insects live on elms. Elms therefore have an important function for biodiversity. More than a hundred insect species and mites are specialized on the elm. A striking feature of the Slippery Elm is the many storage from the underground roots, which can create quite dense thickets from the storage.

Unfortunately, the Elm is susceptible to Elm Disease.

Characteristics


How to plant a Field Elm

Roots at least 10 cm below ground level. Dig a planting hole 1.5 x as wide as the root system; make sure the roots are covered with soil; do not plant deeper than to where the stem begins.

Caring for and pruning your Field Elm

The Elm does not necessarily need to be pruned. If you do want to prune it, do so in February. Pruning back considerably is not a problem.

Where does a Field Elm grow

Elm trees prefer to grow in fairly nutrient-rich, moist and calcareous soil. They tolerate both wet and temporarily dry conditions, withstand quite a bit of road salt, and recover quickly from gross pruning and root damage. Elms require a weakly acidic to alkaline soil.


General

Origin
Native
Tree Type Deciduous tree

Length and Age

Length in about 10 years 2 Up to 4 Meter
Reproductive Maturity in How Many Years Up to year
Maximum Age 150 Up to 200 year
Required Space Up to m2
Growth Rate

Reproduction

Tree is Self-Pollinating Yes
Reproduction Method
Makes root suckers
To cut (cutting is between 5 and 50 cm)
Makes seedlings
Reproduction rate

Reproduction rate

1. Very low reproduction rate. The plant hardly spreads, has few seeds or vegetative spread (e.g., trees with heavy seeds).
2. Low reproduction rate. Spread via limited seed production or specific conditions required
3. Average reproduction rate. Regular spread, depending on wind, water, or animals, at a moderate speed (e.g., dandelion).
4. High reproduction rate. Many seeds and multiple spread strategies (wind, birds, vegetative). Quickly colonizes open spaces
5. Very high reproduction rate. Invasive species that spread explosively over large distances (e.g., Japanese knotweed).

Pruning Period

This Tree is Evergreen Yes
Summer No pruning in summer
Winter November tot February
Leaf Shapes Oval
Easy to prune No

Bark Characteristics Seedling (50-200cm)

Lenticels Yes
Colour

Bud Characteristics Seedling (50-200cm)

Colour
Bud Position
Varied
Bud Shape
Fusiform

Other

Root
Deep and wide roots
Bloom
Has flowers
Has fruits
Wind sensitivity Not sensitive to (sea) wind

Diseases

Sensitive to the Following Diseases
Dutch elm disease

Harvest/recognition in winter

It has a rather rough bark. It also has reddish-brownish round buds soon into winter, from which flowers later emerge. Soon in winter, the twigs look very recognizable because of those round balls on them. The distinction between the species cannot be made in winter.


 

Light requirement of the Field Elm

The Field Elm thrives best under these light conditions.
  • Full sun
  • Partial shade

    • Suitable soil types for the Field Elm

    In this overview, you can find which soil types are best for the Field Elm to grow.
    Soil type Suitability
    light clay
    heavy clay
    sand
    peatland
    Loam
    Moerig op zand
    Lichte zavel
    Zware zavel

    Humidity

    A (ground)water level indicates how deep the groundwater usually is below the surface. The higher the Roman numeral, the deeper the groundwater.
    I
    II
    III
    IV
    V
    VI
    VII
    VIII

    Suitable acidity level for the Field Elm

    Each soil type has a certain acidity level, measured in pH values. You can plant the Field Elm in soil that falls within this range:
    0.0
    0.5
    1.0
    1.5
    2.0
    2.5
    3.0
    3.5
    4.0
    4.5
    5.0
    5.5
    6.0
    6.5
    7.0
    7.5
    8.0
    8.5
    9.0

    Nutritional needs of the Field Elm

    Some soil types offer more nutritional richness than others.
    1.0
    1.5
    2.0
    2.5
    3.0
    3.5
    4.0
    4.5
    5.0
    5.5
    6.0
    6.5
    7.0
    7.5
    8.0
    8.5
    9.0
    1. Very nutrient-poor soil
    2. Very nutrient-poor to nutrient-poor soil
    3. Nutrient-poor soil
    4. Nutrient-poor to moderately nutrient-rich soil
    5. Moderately nutrient-rich soil
    6. Moderately nutrient-rich to nutrient-rich soil
    7. Nutrient-rich soil
    8. Extremely nutrient-rich soil
    9. Very extremely nutrient-rich soil

    Humidity

    Does Field Elm like to have its roots in extremely dry (1.0) or wet (9.0) soil?
    1.0
    1.5
    2.0
    2.5
    3.0
    3.5
    4.0
    4.5
    5.0
    5.5
    6.0
    6.5
    7.0
    7.5
    8.0
    8.5
    9.0
    1. Extremely dry soils
    2. Extremely dry to dry soils
    3. Dry soils
    4. Dry to dry/moist soils
    5. Dry/moist soils
    6. Dry/moist to moist soils
    7. Moist soils
    8. Moist to wet soils
    9. Wet soils

    To be applied in landscapes

    0 = not filled in, 1 = unsuitable, 5 = very suitable
    Landscape Suitability
    Agroforestry
    Hedge
    Hedge
    Forest
    Feeding hedge
    Back yard
    Small back yard
    Solitary
    Wood wall

    Cultural-historical value

    0 = not filled in, 1 = low, 9 = high

    Insects

    How many insects typically live on this tree/plant? 124
    Which insect groups live on this tree/plant?
    Bees
    Butterflies
    Hoverflies
    Beetles
    Wasps
    Lice
    Ants
    Are there insects dependent on this species? No
    Which insect species are dependent on this tree/plant?
    White-letter Hairstreak
    European elm bark beetle
    elm zigzag sawfly

    Birds

    Average number of birds per tree/plant?
    Which bird groups live on this tree/plant?

    Mammals

    Average number of mammals per tree/plant?
    Which mammal groups live on this tree/plant?
    Are there mammals dependent on this species? No
    Which mammal species are dependent on this tree/plant?

    Bloom Period

    Summer March Up to April

    Tree Species

    Tree species that this tree prefers to grow with

    Suitable for mammals?

    toxic, 1 = unsuitable, 5 = very suitable
    Mammal Suitability
    Badgers
    Squirrel
    Ferret
    Goat
    Herbivorous rodents
    Deer
    Cat
    Dog
    Chicken
    Cow
    Human
    Mouse
    Horse
    Roe deer
    Sheep
    Pig
    Foxes
    Wild boar
    Beavers

    Explanation

    Explanation

    Edibility

    • Toxic: This tree or shrub is toxic to mammals and absolutely unsuitable for consumption.
    1. Very unsuitable: This tree or shrub is unsuitable for consumption by mammals and can be harmful.
    2. Unsuitable: This tree or shrub is generally unsuitable for consumption by mammals and can have adverse effects.
    3. Moderately suitable: This tree or shrub is moderately suitable as food for mammals, possibly with certain risks or limitations.
    4. Suitable: This tree or shrub is generally suitable as food for mammals, with little to no risks.
    5. Very suitable: This tree or shrub is very suitable as food for mammals, safe, and of high nutritional value.


    Trunk Height

    Average Trunk Height (hg) of the basal area median tree

    from - to, in whole meters, average

    Information not available

    Trunk Diameter

    (dg) (1.30m) of the basal area median tree.

    from - to, in whole centimeters, average

    Information not available

    Aboveground Biomass

    in whole kg

    Information not available

    Belowground Biomass

    in whole kg

    Information not available

    Substance Binder

    Which substances can be bound or absorbed?
    CO2
    Particulate matter

    Carbon Attraction (kf)

    (dg) (1.30m) of the basal area median tree Deciduous Trees (Kf = 0,48)

    Warming Resistance

    This tree is well resistant to the warming (plus 3 degrees) of our climate and fits into the future of our climate (heat and drought resistant). No
    CO2
    Particulate matter

    CO2

    0. not filled in
    1. no storage
    2. low storage
    3. moderate storage
    4. high storage
    5. very high storage

    Fine Dust

    0. not filled in
    1. no capture capacity
    2. low capture capacity
    3. moderate capture capacity
    4. high capture capacity
    5. very high capture capacity

    This is what an adult tree Field Elm looks like

    Field elm; a mature tree
    Bark of the field elm
    Field elm in winter

    This is what the fruits of a Field Elm look like

    Fruit of the field elm

    This is what a Field Elm in bloom looks like

    Field elm in bloom

    This is what the bud of a Field Elm looks like

    Buds of the field elm

    This is what the leaf of a Field Elm looks like

    Leaf of the field elm