Habitat: Bottomland woods, along streams.
Range: Nova Scotia across to southern Manitoba, south to central Texas, east to south-central Florida.
Distinguishing Features: American Elm may be distinguished from the Winged Elm and the Rock Elm by its lack of corky wings on the branchlets. It differs from the Slippery Elm by its relatively smooth leaves and the lack of rusty-colored hairs on its buds. The Siberian Elm, which is also similar, does not have distinctly asymmetrical leaves. Hackberry leaves, which are also somewhat similar in appearance, have three main veins originating at the base of each leaf blade.
SIBERIAN ELM
Ulmus pumila L.
Growth Form: Small tree to 35 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 1 foot; crown broadly rounded, with slender branchlets.
Bark: Gray or brown, shallowly furrowed at maturity.
Twigs: Slender, brown or grayish, smooth; leaf scars alternate, half-round, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Spherical, reddish-brown, up to ⅛ inch in diameter, somewhat hairy.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades short-pointed at the tip, tapering or rounded at the asymmetrical base, up to 7 cm long, up to half as broad, mostly singly toothed along the edges, smooth on both surfaces; leafstalks very short, usually smooth.