Scots Elm

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

Stately tree with a dense crown where the lower branches sag slightly. Height to 40 m, width to about 20 m. The bark remains smooth for a long time but later develops shallow grooves. Young twigs are grayish brown and whitish hairy, later gray. The large leaf is asymmetrical, very rough and dark green. On the underside, it is light green and hairy. Elm can be recognized by its asymmetrical leaf base and serrated leaf edge.

Many insects live on elms. Elm trees therefore have an important function for biodiversity. More than a hundred insect species and mites are specialized on the Elm.

Unfortunately, the Elm is susceptible to the Elm Disease.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Characteristics


How to plant a Scots 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 Scots 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 Scots 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 No
Colour

Bud Characteristics Seedling (50-200cm)

Colour
Bud Position Information not available
Bud Shape Information not available

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

However, the difference between different elm species is not easy. For this, you need to look closely at the wing-nut and the leaves of shortleaf elm. The wingnut of Rough Elm is 2 to 2.5 cm long and has a short stalk of less than 0.5 cm. The seed is approximately centrally located and does not touch the indentation that is in the wing. The leaves (from shortleaves!) are 8 to 16 cm long and inversely ovate. They usually end suddenly in a fine point, sometimes in 2 or 3 points. On the upper side the leaves are coarsely hairy on the lower side they are soft-hairy. The petiole is a maximum of 4 mm long. Rough elm usually has no root storage.

The young branches are roughly hairy and the bud scales are reddishly wrinkled.

Asymmetric, very rough, dark green leaves (8 - 16 cm)
crooked leaf base covers one side of the short petiole
 

Light requirement of the Scots Elm

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

    • Suitable soil types for the Scots Elm

    In this overview, you can find which soil types are best for the Scots 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 Scots Elm

    Each soil type has a certain acidity level, measured in pH values. You can plant the Scots 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 Scots 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 Scots 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
    True bugs
    Wasps
    Lice
    Bumblebees
    Ants
    Ladybugs
    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? 10
    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 Scots Elm looks like

    Scots elm; a mature tree
    The bark of the Scotch elm
    Scotch elm in winter

    This is what the fruits of a Scots Elm look like

    Fruit of the Scots elm

    This is what a Scots Elm in bloom looks like

    Scots elm in bloom

    This is what the leaf of a Scots Elm looks like

    Leaf of the Scots elm