Ulmus Laevis Pall

Forest Ecology and Forest Management Group

Tree factsheet images at pages 3, 4, 5

Ulmus laevis Pall. taxonomy author, year Pallas, 17.. synonym U. effusa Willd. Family Ulmaceae Eng. Name European White Elm Dutch name Fladderiep, Steeliep subspecies - varieties - hybrids - cultivars, frequently used none

references Weeda, 2003, Nederlandse Oecologische Flora, deel 1

morphology crown habit tree, oval max. height (m) 25 (32) max. dbh (cm) 200 (-300) leaf length (cm) 6-12 leaf petiole (cm) 0,3-0,6 leaf color upper surface green leaf color under surface green leaves arrangement alternate flowering March flowering plant monoecious flower hermaphrodite flower diameter (cm) 0,2 pollination wind fruit; length samara (=winged nut); 1-1,2 cm fruit petiole (cm) 0,5-2,5 seed; length nut; 0,5 cm seed-wing length (cm) 1-1,2 weight 1000 seeds (g) 5-7 seeds ripen April-May seed dispersal wind, water (river)

habitat natural distribution Europe, W. Asia in N.W. Europe since Ulmus 7000 B.C. natural areas The Netherlands forests geological landscape types The Netherlands river and brook valleys, loess covered terraces (Hoek 1997) forested areas The Netherlands moist and nutrient rich sandy, loamy and clayish soils; half shaded ash forest area Netherlands approx. 50 % of forest trees in the Netherlands <0,1 soil type pH-KCl indifferent soil fertility nutrient rich light shade tolerant shade tolerance 3.7 (0=no tolerance to 5=max. tolerance) drought tolerance 1.5 (0=no tolerance to 5=max. tolerance) waterlogging tolerance 2.8 (0=no tolerance to 5=max. tolerance) plant communities in the Netherlands Klasse der Eiken-beukenbossen van voedselrijke grond: -Violo odoratae-Ulmetum – Abelen-Iepenbos -Fraxino-Ulmetum – Essen-Iepenbos

management status Europe rare, indigenous species in forests status The Netherlands endangered indigenous species in forests and landscape application nature tree, landscape planting propagation seed, cuttings, (layering) regeneration planting; natural regeneration from seed or up-rooting optimal gap size for regeneration ? first plantation Netherlands oldest tree Europe Guelitz, Perleberg, Deutschland dbh 300 cm, year … oldest trees Netherlands Borculo, approx 1850 resprouting after cutting good growth rate (M.A.I. in m 3ha -1j-1) fast (data unknown) diseases susceptible for Ophiostoma novo-ulmi , fungus in xylem (Dutch: Iepenziekte) but no natural infections in West Europe insects usually not eaten by Scolytus spp. (Dutch: Iepenspintkevers)

wood wood elm (Dutch: iepen) wood structures key characteristics of pores Ring porous. Tangential bands of pores. 4-5 seriate rays. vol. mass heartwood (kg/m3) ….(12% moisture content) elastic modulus (N/mm 2)

durability heartwood fungus 4 heartwood color light brown to dark brown sapwood color grey-white to light brown contents products construction timber, cladding, furniture, tools, coach-building, bows (pre-historical)

non-timber products leaves and shoots for fodder (old in Europe, still in Asia) young leaves edible fruits edible inner bark edible

Ülo Niinemets and Fernando Valladares. 2006. Tolerance to shade, drought, and waterlogging of temperate Northern Hemisphere trees and shrubs. Ecological Monographs 76:521–547

White elm leaves and fruit twig in winter

flowering branch, Isle of Anglesey, Wales, U.K. photo Wikipedia