Content
Small elm is an ornamental tree, actively used not only for urban but also for private landscaping. It is often found in private plots, is distinguished by its longevity, and remains decorative throughout most of the season. The tree does not require any specific care; the main thing is to choose a suitable place for planting it.
Description of small elm
Small elm (Ulmus Minor), also known as foliage or hornbeam, is a deciduous tree from the genus and family of the same name. Lifespan is up to 300 years. During this time, the small elm manages to stretch 25-30 m in height. It grows quickly, especially at a young age (up to 8-10 years). Its crown is narrow and vertical (its diameter does not exceed 1.5 m).
The bark on young shoots is yellowish-brown and smooth to the touch. As the branches age, it becomes rough, changes color to grayish-brown with an ashy tint, and longitudinal grooves appear.
Small elm can boast of having many nicknames - birch bark, elm, cork or red elm
The tree is densely leafy.The leaf blades are elongated, obovate, with a serrated edge, a pointed tip and a ribbed surface. The approximate length of the leaves is 10-12 cm, width is 5-6 cm.
The rough edge on the underside disappears as the leaves grow
The small elm blooms early, in March-April. The flowers, collected in small racemes or almost spherical bunches, open when there are no leaves on the tree. They are clearly visible due to their reddish or brick-rusty bracts.
Honey plant; Small elm is often planted along the perimeter of apiaries
After flowering, egg-shaped winged fruits ripen. Their appearance is quite specific, so there have been debates in botany whether the small elm should be classified as an angiosperm or gymnosperm. However, taking into account the presence of flowers on the tree, as well as the possibility of its pollination by bees and other insects, and not just by the wind, it was found that the small elm belongs to the angiosperms.
Where does it grow
The natural habitat of the small elm includes almost all of Europe, Asia Minor, the Middle East (Iran, Syria), and North Africa. In the European part of Russia, the tree is also found everywhere, with the exception of the Northern and Northwestern regions.
Small elm grows in both broad-leaved and mixed forests, semi-deserts, steppes and forest-steppes. The tree prefers plains and river banks, but can rise to a height of up to 1500 m, taking root in gorges and on hillsides.
Southern Europe is considered the historical homeland of the small elm.
Landing rules
The mature small elm is light-loving and drought-resistant. It will also take root in light partial shade, but when there is a lack of light, its growth rate slows down, the shoots become thinner and deformed, and the leaves become smaller.
The small elm does not need a highly nutritious substrate; soil with average fertility is preferable, loose, providing normal access of air to the roots and not creating preconditions for stagnation of water. Acid-base balance – neutral or close to it.
Direct sunlight does not harm the tree
Small elm can be planted both in spring (May-June) and autumn (August-September). In regions with a temperate climate, the first option is often preferred, in warm southern regions - the second.
The planting pit is always prepared in advance, according to the standard scheme. Before and after planting, the soil must be well moistened. The final stage of the procedure is mulching a tree trunk circle with a diameter of 50-60 cm.
Care instructions
Lesser elm requires the attention of a gardener mainly at a young age. Then you can limit yourself to minimal care. Agricultural technology includes:
- Watering. In the first 2-3 seasons after planting, the soil should not be allowed to dry out; it should always be moderately moist. In most cases, an adult tree makes do with meltwater and natural precipitation; it is watered only in extreme heat and prolonged drought.
- Feeding. To maintain the nutritional value of the soil, the tree is fed with natural organic matter annually or once every 2-3 seasons in mid-spring. You can also use commercial humate-based fertilizers.
- Trimming. The crown is quite neat and symmetrical.Therefore, you can limit yourself to sanitary pruning at the beginning and end of the season. Although, in principle, the tree tolerates pruning, even radical ones, well, so it is even used to form bonsai.
Reproduction
Small elm successfully reproduces both generatively and vegetatively. The first method is longer and more labor-intensive, so amateur gardeners usually practice transplanting shoots. The best time for the procedure is June.
If the seedling already has roots, you just need to carefully dig it up, saving the lump of soil, and transplant it to a new place. The shoots on the stump are cut off and the cuttings are rooted in ordinary water or a moisture-intensive substrate, creating a greenhouse effect and providing long daylight hours.
It takes 3-4 weeks for roots to appear
If you grow a seedling from seeds, you need to take into account that they demonstrate the best germination immediately after ripening. For growing seedlings, universal seedling soil is quite suitable. They are buried 1-1.5 cm into the soil. If the seeds were planted in a common container, their seedlings dive in the phase of the third true leaf.
Germination does not last long; it is useless to plant seeds that ripened more than a year ago.
Diseases and pests
Insects rarely attack the small elm. This applies to both crop-specific and general garden pests. It is also quite resistant to fungal and other infections.
The only exception is Dutch disease. Its symptoms appear at the junction of spring and summer. The disease develops quickly: the leaves of the small elm curl, dry out and fall off, the branches also dry out and die. Destroy the pathogen using fungicides. The first treatment of the tree itself and the soil in the tree trunk circle is carried out when symptoms are detected, then repeated in early August and mid-autumn.
It is possible to save a small elm affected by Dutch disease only if the disease is detected at an early stage.
Conclusion
Among other ornamental trees, the small elm stands out for its original shape of leaves and winged fruits. Its growth rate is quite high, the tree lives up to 300 years, and does not make any special demands on agricultural technology. All this determines the stable demand for small elm by both amateur gardeners and professional landscape designers.
