Content
Rough elm is a tree that successfully combines decorativeness with unpretentiousness. It is actively used to decorate not only household plots, but also urban public areas. Essentially, it requires the care and attention of a gardener only at the growing stage; then the tree can grow with minimal outside help.
Description of rough elm
Rough elm (Ulmus Glabra) is a deciduous tree belonging to the genus and family of the same name. Often found under the nickname “mountain elm.”
Diameter of the crown of the rough elm
The crown of the tree is quite narrow for its size (about 2 m in diameter), densely leafy. The shape is relatively regular, cylindrical, rounded at the top.
Severely asymmetrical and disheveled trees are rare
Height of rough elm
The tree has a long lifespan (300-400 years). During this time, under natural conditions, it manages to stretch 35-40 m in height. Trunk diameter – up to 80 cm.
The leaves of the rough elm are lighter than those of other varieties
Blooming elm
Flowering is early, in March-April. The flowers bloom before the leaves appear.
Male and female flowers are easy to distinguish. The first ones have violet-brown or brick-red anthers. The second ones are collected in axillary inflorescences-bundles on short pedicels.
Flowering is short, 5-7 days
After the rough elm blooms at the end of May or early June, winged fruits of an oval or obovate shape with a diameter of about 2.5 cm ripen. Immediately after formation they are pubescent; as they ripen, the pile disappears.
Where does it grow
Natural habitat - Eastern and Central Europe, Crimea, Caucasus, Asia Minor. In Russia, the rough elm is a tree that is ubiquitous in the European part of its territory.
Varieties
There are not too many varieties bred by breeders. They are more decorative and are well suited for solo plantings.
Camperdowney rough elm
A tree with a thin trunk and shoots no more than 5 m high. The crown is weeping, reminiscent of an open umbrella. The shoots are densely leafy, the leaves are large, up to 20 cm in length, of a rich green hue. The flowers are small, red-violet. From the description of the Camperdowney rough elm it is easy to understand that it is a very graceful tree.
Camperdownie rough elm must be pruned regularly, otherwise the branches lying on the ground begin to rot
Rough elm Pendula
Tree 30-40 m high. Successfully takes root in the shade. The trunk and shoots are powerful, covered with numerous cracks, and the bark is very peeling. The crown is weeping, tent-shaped, with a flat top. The branches extend from the trunk almost perpendicularly. The leaves are large, dark green. The flowers are very small and inconspicuous.
Rough elm Pendula is widely used in Europe and North America for landscaping public gardens, parks, and streets.
Weeping elm
Lifespan is up to 600 years. The tree is relatively powerful, but not tall (up to 5 m). The crown is very wide (8-10 m), reminiscent of an inverted cup or lampshade. Growth rates are average - about 15-20 cm in height and 25-30 cm in width per season. The branches are drooping, densely leafy. Closer to autumn, a brown undertone appears in the color of the bright green leaves. The leaf blades are wide and ovate.
The tree trunk of a weeping elm is an ideal place to install a bench; the composition is often complemented with roses or peonies
Planting and care
The landing site is selected taking into account the following nuances:
- it is able to take root in partial shade and even in dense shade, but in an open place it feels much better (the rough elm has a calm attitude towards light);
- the soil is desirable with average nutritional value, but at the same time loose, easily permeable to air and not creating preconditions for stagnation of water;
- the optimal soil pH is neutral or close to it, but rough elm tolerates alkaline soil better than acidified soil;
- the tree will definitely not take root in a saline substrate.
You can plant a tree in both spring and autumn. The time, as well as specific dates, are determined taking into account the local climate and long-term weather forecast. The planting hole is always prepared in advance, according to the standard algorithm, filling it with high turf mixed with humus and complex fertilizer.
A drainage layer is desirable at the bottom of the planting hole.
The main thing when planting is to moisten the soil well before and after planting. Having finished, it is recommended to mulch the soil in the tree trunk circle with a diameter of up to 50-60 cm.
Attention to rough elm will have to be paid mainly in the first season after planting in the ground. A successfully established tree requires a minimum of care and outside help.
Agricultural technology includes:
- Watering. During the first season, the substrate should not be allowed to dry out; it is constantly kept slightly moist. The next watering is carried out when the surface layer of soil dries out (1.5-2 cm). An adult tree survives successfully, limited to melt water and rain. It only needs watering during extreme heat and prolonged drought.
- Feeding. Both purchased fertilizers and natural organic matter are suitable for rough elm. Two feedings are enough - at the beginning and at the end of the season. Additionally, in the spring, annually or once every 2-3 years, humus is distributed along the tree trunk circle to restore soil fertility, embedding it into the soil.
- Trimming. Crown formation begins no earlier than four years after planting in open ground. But, in principle, with natural rough elm you can limit yourself to sanitary pruning at the beginning and end of the season. In hybrids bred by breeders, the branches that drag along the ground are additionally pruned. The most unfavorable time for pruning is April-July.
- Preparing for winter. The rough elm cannot be called an exclusively cold-resistant plant, but it must be provided with shelter only in the first 2-3 seasons after planting. To overwinter normally, a tree needs a thick (10-12 cm) layer of mulch in the circle around the trunk and a mound of it at the base of the trunk up to 20-25 cm high.
The fact that the rough elm easily tolerates pruning is evidenced by its successful use for the formation of bonsai
Reproduction of rough elm
The natural method of propagation is by seeds. Due to the presence of wings, they are easily carried by the wind over long distances. Amateur gardeners also sometimes practice propagation of rough elm using seeds, but this method is not suitable for varieties bred by breeders.
Propagation by seeds is a rather labor-intensive and time-consuming method, so it is not very popular
The easiest way to obtain new specimens of rough elm is by cuttings. Planting material is harvested when the tree begins to emerge from hibernation, at the end of February or at the beginning of March.
The average length of the cutting is 12-20 cm. At least two growth buds are required. For 15-20 days they are kept in a refrigerator, cellar, basement or other dark place with a constant low plus temperature, average air humidity and good ventilation.
Then the cuttings are rooted in water or a biostimulant solution, having previously renewed the lower oblique cut. The fluid needs to be changed daily. The top of the container is covered with plastic bags or cut-off bottles, creating a greenhouse effect.
If you provide rough elm cuttings with 10-12 hours of daylight and warmth, roots will appear within 20-25 days. After about a month, when they grow to 2-2.5 cm in length, the cuttings can be transplanted into the soil.
Rooted cuttings are transferred to open ground next spring.
An option for propagating rough elm for more advanced gardeners is grafting.Most often, new specimens of varieties bred by breeders are obtained in this way, using natural varieties of elm as a rootstock. The fact that the grafting was successful is indicated by the appearance of new leaves on the scion.
Any grafting method is suitable, the main thing is to tightly combine the scion and rootstock
Diseases and pests
Rough elm rarely suffers from universal garden pests. However, attacks by insects that prefer this particular tree cannot be ruled out:
- Elm leaf beetle. A small black and blue oval bug. Three stripes are clearly visible on the back.
The elm leaf beetle is distinguished by its rare gluttony
- Elm springtail. A small grayish butterfly that lays eggs on a tree. The hatching larvae feed on leaf tissue, eating it down to a skeleton of veins.
Elm springtail especially often affects rough elm plantings in the steppes.
- Elm sapwood. A leaf-eating beetle, very similar to a weevil. Sheep elm is practically never found on healthy specimens; it attacks mainly trees already affected by the disease or trees that have begun to dry out.
Elm sapwood is dangerous for the rough elm not only as a leaf-eating pest, but also as a carrier of pathogens
Of the diseases, the greatest danger to slippery elm is the culture-specific Dutch disease. In trees affected by it, the leaves and branches begin to quickly dry out and die.
It is not always possible to cope with Dutch disease. It is treatable only at an early stage. Having detected symptoms, the crown and soil in the tree trunk circle are sprayed with a solution of any fungicide.Then the procedure is repeated twice more: about a month later and in the first ten days of October.
Symptoms of Dutch disease most often appear in May-June; by the end of the season, the rough elm dies
Application
In landscape design, rough elm is used as a basis for large-scale compositions. It looks very organic in Japanese-style rock gardens.
In addition to it, you can plant fruit trees (apple trees, cherries), ornamental trees (rowan trees, linden trees), and flowering shrubs nearby. Hosta, fern, and astilbe will feel comfortable in the circle of rough elm. It is also suitable for many low lawn grasses and any shade-tolerant ground cover plants.
In landscape design, the rough elm inevitably becomes the center of the composition.
However, the use of rough elm is not limited to landscape design. Its wood is quite hard, but at the same time easy to process and successfully resists rotting in conditions of high humidity. It is used:
- in the furniture industry;
- for the manufacture of sports equipment (for example, baseball bats);
- in carpentry and mechanical engineering;
- for the manufacture of floor coverings.
Conclusion
The rough elm is a tree that can be safely recommended for planting on a personal plot, even to gardeners with minimal experience. To maintain its presentable appearance, basic care is enough for it; finding a suitable place is also not difficult.The tree cannot be called completely problem-free, but diseases and pests rarely affect it.
