Excellent vase shape makes it an ideal street tree. American Elm is a large, fast growing tree with a broad vase shape. It has an excellent form as a street tree. It is native throughout the upper midwest and much of North America. Prior to the onset of Dutch elm disease in this country, it made up a high proportion of the street tree community throughout much of the United States.
Leaves are medium green, turning yellow in the fall.
Tolerant to a wide range of soils and climatic conditions. Very tolerant of city conditions. Somewhat brittle and requires some pruning to remove dead and broken branches. Preventative maintenance against Dutch elm disease is recommended for valuable older specimens. The primary limitation is its susceptibility to Dutch elm disease which has killed most of the old established trees in much of the country.