White elm
Scientific name: Ulmus laevis Pallas
Family name: Ulmaceae
MORPHOLOGY
Growth habit and size: Deciduous tree that can reach considerable heights, up to 30 m. It has a wide and rounded crown.
Bark: Smooth and silver gray in younger specimens. With age, it tends to develop slight fissures and becomes darker.
Leaves: Oval and asymmetrical at the base of the blade, with a pointed apex and serrated margin. The upper surface is dark green and shiny, while the lower surface is lighter and velvety.
Flowers: Gathered in yellowish inflorescences, but devoid of petals. They bloom in early spring, before the appearance of leaves.
Fruits and seeds: Oval samaras with ciliate margins and long peduncles, enclosing a single round seed. The samaras also appear early on the plant, along with the first leaves.
DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT
Native to Europe, the white elm is found in Italy up to an altitude of 500 m, especially in the northern regions. It primarily grows along watercourses, in floodplains, and in wet areas. It can also adapt to clayey and calcareous soils.
USE
The wood is of good quality and is used for making furniture, beams, and musical instruments. The plant is also cultivated for ornamental purposes in parks and gardens due to its attractive shape and rapid growth.
INTERESTING FACTS
Like other species of the same genus, the plant is affected by Dutch elm disease, a fungal disease causing a significant decline in elm populations across Europe. However, this species is less susceptible to this disease compared to other elms.
The specific epithet laevis means smooth, light, without hairs, and refers to the underside of the leaves, which is velvety.
The white elm is also called ciliated elm due to the characteristic ciliate edge of the samaras.
Photo: Used under the free license of Saxifraga-Dirk Hilbers
