Few trees are as easily identified and loved as the American elm. Widely used as a shade and street tree because of its graceful vase-like growth, there was a time when nary a mid western or New England town was without an elm-lined Main Street. If Dutch elm disease hadn’t come along I would say this is the best street tree – ever! It’s a sturdy tree with a high canopy and a super tolerance for salt, compaction and pollution. I remember a winter in the mid 90’s when a rapid change in temperature killed many of the new street trees in Hanover, NH – except for the new elms.
A significant amount of time and expense has gone into the introduction of resistant varieties that show the promise of an “elm revival.” If you are planning to plant elms, try to mix up cultivars and be awareof their different shapes. And remember that resistance to Dutch elm disease is different than being immune.









