The elm is also widespread in this country. It is easy to distinguish it from other trees through certain characteristics such as flowers, leaves and growth habit. But not all elms are the same. Could you identify the different varieties? If you know which elm species exist and what characteristics characterize them, it's no problem at all.
Which elm species are there in Central Europe?
In Central Europe there are three main types of elm: the mountain elm, the flat elm and the field elm. They differ in flower color, petiole length and distribution area within Germany.
Division into genera and sections
The elm is a deciduous deciduous tree that is mostly native to the northern hemisphere. A wide range of species grows in Central Europe as well as in Eurasia and Central America. The genus includes about 40 to 50 different species that belong to either the subgenus Ulmus or the subgenus Oreoptelea. Botanists divide this subgenus into different sections:
- Blepharocarpus
- Chaetoptelea
- Trichoptelea
- Lanceifoliae
- Microptelea
- Ulmus
There are three types of elm that grow in Central Europe:
- the mountain elm
- the white elm
- and the field elm
The native elm species
The Mountain Elm
The mountain elm grows up to 40 meters high, has gray-black bark and bears yellow flowers in spring (March-April).
The Flat Elm
Slightly earlier than the mountain elm, the flat elm displays its green-violet flowers. Their bark is gray-green.
The field elm
The field elm, on the other hand, has whitish flowers that develop from March to April. It can reach a height of 40 meters, but often stays below that depending on the site conditions.
Differences between elm species
You have already learned above in the text that the three different elm species in Central Europe produce differently colored flowers. Another indication of the variety is the length of the leaf stem. While the leaves of the field elm are not steep, those of the mountain elm are short-stemmed and those of the flat elm are long-stemmed.
Distribution in Germany
The elm species have a differentiated frequency in terms of their occurrence in Germany. The mountain elm primarily grows in the low mountain ranges. You are most likely to find the white elm in the north-east of the Federal Republic. The Upper Rhine Graben is primarily populated by field elms.
The Dutch elm disease
In recent years, elm strut, a dangerous ascomycete, has caused great concern among conservationists. So far no countermeasures have been taken. This means that the three elm species native here are among the threatened tree species. The mountain elm is particularly affected by the disease. Hope comes from the Netherlands, where resistant varieties have now been developed.
