"Once a very popular and long-lived (300+ years)
shade and street tree, American Elm suffered a
dramatic decline with the introduction of Dutch elm
disease, a fungus spread by a bark beetle.
The wood
of American Elm is very hard and was a valuable
timber tree used for lumber, furniture and veneer. The
Indians once made canoes out of American Elm
trunks, and early settlers would steam the wood so it
could be bent to make barrels and wheel hoops. It
was also used for the rockers on rocking chairs.
Today, the wood that can be found is used mainly for
making furniture.
American Elm should be grown in full sun on
well-drained, rich soil. If you plant American Elm,
plan on implementing a monitoring program to watch
for symptoms of Dutch elm disease. It is vital to the
health of existing trees that a program be in place to
administer special care to these disease-sensitive trees.
Propagation is by seed or cuttings. Young plants
transplant easily." - From Fact Sheet on American Elm - USDA Forest Service
Consider Planting American Elm


