• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Grow a tree with TCV

Grow a tree with TCV

  • Home
  • Growing trees
  • Identifying trees
  • About us
  • Search
You are here: Home / Identifying trees / Wych elm

Wych elm

How to grow Wych elm

Share
Tweet
Pin

Evidence of Dutch elm disease on trunkWych elm once covered large parts of the UK. Following the last ice age, as woodland became the dominant form of vegetation, Wych Elm stood out as one of the success stories.

For a few thousand years it flourished, but then succumbed to what is thought to have been a disease very similar, if not, Dutch elm disease. About 5,500 years ago, the population of Wych Elm – the only native elm here – was drastically reduced.

At the same time, humans, with their rapidly developing tools, were clearing larger and larger areas of woodland for farming. The death of so many elms must have helped them.

Leaves

Wych elm leafWych Elm leaves are alternate, oval to elliptic and have a long pointed tip. The base of the blade is unequal.

The dark green leaves have toothed edges and hairs on both sides. The upper surface of the leaves feels like fine sandpaper.

In autumn they change from dark green to yellow. If they change to yellow in mid-summer, the cause might be Dutch elm disease.

Flowers

Wych elm flowersFlowers of the Wych Elm are purplish-red and are held in bunches of 10 to 20, spread along the twigs.

They appear in early spring before the leaves to aid pollination by the wind. Both male and female reproductive parts are contained within each flower – so they are hermaphrodite, like the Ash.

Fruits

Wych elm fruitsThe fruits are small and winged, about 1cm across with a single seed in the centre.

At first they are green but when they are ripe – in late May or early June – they are brown.

By reproducing from seed, it is said that wych elm can develop a resistance (not immunity!) to Dutch elm disease.

Bark

Wych elm barkThe bark varies from grey to dark brown with long, vertical creases.

The elm bark beetle (Scolytus multistriatus) tunnels under the bark of elm trees carrying with it a fungus – Ophiostoma novo-ulmi, which invades the tree. It blocks the flow of life-giving sap, eventually killing the tree. This is ‘Dutch elm disease‘.

Habitat

Wych elm in glenWych elm is a long-lived tree if it can elude Dutch elm disease.

It grows on rich and moist soil, preferring a cool summer with damp air – perfect for the north and west of the UK and most of Ireland.

Primary Sidebar

Identifying trees

  • Alder
  • Aspen
  • Ash
  • Bird cherry
  • Blackthorn
  • Crab apple
  • Dog rose
  • Downy birch
  • Elder
  • Goat willow
  • Gorse
  • Grey willow
  • Guelder rose
  • Hawthorn
  • Hazel
  • Holly
  • Juniper
  • Pedunculate oak
  • Sessile oak
  • Rowan
  • Scots pine
  • Spindle
  • Wild cherry
  • Wych elm
  • Silver birch

© Copyright 2019 The Conservation Volunteers

Registered in England as a limited company (976410)
and as a charity in England (261009) and Scotland (SCO39302)

Registered Office: Sedum House, Mallard Way, Doncaster DN4 8DB

Website by Made in Trenbania

  • Home
  • Find TCV
  • Contact TCV
  • Jobs/Traineeships
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Home
  • Growing trees
  • Identifying trees
  • About us
  • Search