Winged Elm

Ulmus alata

The prominent corky ridges or 'wings' on its twigs grow on opposite sides of the branch, making the tree easy to identify even in the dead of winter.

Scientific name

Ulmus alata

Taxonomy

Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Rosales › Ulmaceae › Ulmus

IUCN Red List status

Least Concern

Population trend

stable

Biome

forest

Habitat

Dry, rocky upland woods, clay hills, alluvial flats, and river valleys.

Diet

Autotrophic (Photosynthesis via sunlight, water, and soil nutrients)

Range

Southeastern United States, East Texas, Florida, Southern Indiana, Maryland

Size

15 - 25 meters tall, with a trunk diameter of 30 - 60 cm

Lifespan

80 - 150 years

Active

diurnal

Threats

Susceptible to Dutch elm disease, elm yellows (phytoplasma), and habitat loss from urban expansion.

Safe to approach?

Harmless. This tree is entirely safe to approach and admire. In early spring, it releases wind-borne pollen which may trigger mild seasonal allergies in sensitive individuals. Do not damage the bark or break branches.

Ulmus alata , the winged elm or wahoo , is a small- to medium-sized deciduous tree endemic to the woodlands of the southeastern and south-central United States. The species is tolerant of a wide range of soils, and of ponding, but is the least shade-tolerant of the North American elms. Its growth rate is often very slow, the trunk increasing in diameter by less than 5 mm (3⁄16 in) per year. The tree is occasionally considered a nuisance as it...

Photo: Jason Sturner, CC-BY, via iNaturalist

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