Winged Elm

Winged Elm

(Ulmus alata)

The Elm Family (Ulmaceae)

Small, fast-growing, deciduous tree with a variable shaped crown; corky, wing-like projections on opposite sides of twigs and branches; reddish brown to gray bark and alternate dark green leaves.

Habitat:

Drier sites, hardwood forests, abandoned fields.

Interesting Facts:

Native Americans utilized inner bark to treat diarrhea and to ease childbirth; and wove bark fibers into baskets and rope. A larval host for the Question Mark Butterfly. Most common elm in Louisiana. Susceptible to Dutch elm disease.

Fruit:

.5” reddish, winged fruit, “samara,” with a notched end enclosing seed.

Flower:

Reddish, in branched clusters less than 1” long in early spring before leaves.

Wildlife value:

Provides cover for birds and other wildlife; especially attractive to nesting birds. Early seeds provide food to birds and squirrels. Deer browse twigs and leaves.

Corky Wings