Rugged trees for a rugged environment

Our small towns are filled with elms, but not the newer introductions that are bred to withstand our rugged environment. Here are two lesser-known elms that were planted in Haxtun and Akron earlier this year to replace some of the damaged elms during the derecho of 2020.

The first is Frontier Elm that grows to be about 35-40 feet in height. So, it is not a large elm but still can provide a fair amount of shade for a small yard even though it has a more pyramidal habit. It is a slow grower, meaning up to 8-10 inches per season. Two benefits for planting this tree are: It does well in occasional drought and it grows in a wide range of soil types, especially soils that are alkaline. If you don’t know what your soil type is and are looking for a tree, this is one that will adapt. Just be sure the soil is well drained. It is resistant to Dutch elm, elm yellows and has moderate resistance to elm leaf beetles. Elm yellows is a plant disease caused by a group of organisms called phytoplasmas, which are specialized forms of bacteria that get into the phloem. Phloem transports sap and sugars through the tree.

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