American Elm

Ulmus americana

native · Hill Country

American Elm is a tree native to the Texas Hill Country that grows 72–100 ft tall and 70 ft wide. It wants full sun or part shade and high water, and handles caliche and clay soil. Blooms green in early spring. Good for birds and butterflies.

Will it grow in your yard?

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The facts

5 sources

Type: Tree
Sun: Full sun to part shade (4–8 hrs of direct sun)
Water: High
Height: 72–100 ft
Spread: 70 ft
Bloom: Early Spring · green
Foliage: Deciduous or dies back in winter
Soil: Takes caliche and clay · recorded on clay, loam, moist, sand, well drained
Wildlife: Supports birds and butterflies

Where it grows

Recorded in these EPA Level IV ecoregions in the Austin and Hill Country launch area:

Balcones CanyonlandsEdwards Plateau WoodlandNorthern Blackland PrairieSouthern Post Oak SavannaFloodplains and Low TerracesLimestone Cut PlainSan Antonio Prairie

742 occurrence records in Central Texas (GBIF).

Can you buy it?

Also grows here — hard to find. Native and recorded growing in Central Texas, but not on the grower stock lists we read. Sourcing varies: some are stocked widely, others you will have to hunt for.

also grows from seed It starts readily from seed, so a packet from a native-seed supplier, or seed collected with permission, is often the easiest way to get a plant no nursery pots.