Elm flowers: characteristics, flowering time and pollination

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2024 Author: Leonars Benson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-02 03:03

In contrast to other deciduous trees, which draw attention to themselves with their beguiling blossoms, the blossoms of the elm tree appear rather subtle. Delicate tufts decorate its branches in spring. Find out more about the flowering time and the different types of flowering in the different elm species here.

What does the flower of the elm tree look like and when does it bloom?

The elm flower is small, bell-shaped and arranged in clusters, the color varies depending on the species, mostly brown-violet. The flowering period is in spring, before the leaves emerge. The field elm has no flower stalk, while the white elm has long flower stalks and the wych elm has short flower stalks.

Characteristics of the elm flower

The first flowers of the elm tree appear on most evergreen species in spring, before the leaves have formed. They are already fully formed in the pre-summer. Its shape is reminiscent of a bell. The deciduous tree forms small clusters made up of several individual flowers. The color of the elm blossom is rather subtle and inconspicuous. It is often brown-violet, although the color can vary from species to species. In addition, the flowers of the elm are very small. They reach a size of around 3-6 mm.

Elms bloom every two years. They only become male, i.e. sexually mature, from the age of 30-40. Elm flowers are hermaphroditic. This means that the tree has both male and female flowers. Pollination occurs by wind. As a rule, these characteristics apply to all elm species. However, in the following overview you will see some differences that differ in detail. The most noticeable difference between the elm species native to Europe is the length of the flower stalk:

wych elm: short
Flower elm: long
Field elm: no stem