Wych Elm, Table-top Scotch Elm, Scotch Elm
Ulmus glabra
Family: Ulmaceae
What it is like
Bloom Color: Green. Main Bloom Time: Early fall, Late fall, Mid fall. Form: Rounded, Weeping.
Ulmus glabra is a deciduous Tree growing to 30 m (98ft) by 25 m (82ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from February to March, and the seeds ripen from May to June. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Wind. It is noted for attracting wildlife. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure. It can tolerate atmospheric pollution.
Height (m): 30
Where it is found
Woods, hedges and by streams, commoner in the west and north.
Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia south and east to Spain, north and west Asia.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 3
Leaves - raw or cooked. They can be a little bit bitter, especially if not very young, and have a mucilaginous texture. They make a nice addition to a mixed salad. Immature fruits, used just after they are formed, can be eaten raw. An aromatic, unusual flavour, leaving the mouth feeling fresh and the breath smelling pleasant. They contain about 34.4% protein, 28.2% fat, 17% carbohydrate, 5% ash. The fruit is about 2.5cm long. Inner bark - mucilaginous. No more details are given but inner bark is often dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickening in soups etc or mixed with cereals when making bread.
Inner bark: the bark that is found just beneath the tough outer bark of trees and shrubs.
Medicine
Rating: 2
The inner bark is astringent, demulcent and mildly diuretic. It is used both internally and externally in the treatment of diarrhoea, rheumatism, wounds, piles etc and is also used as a mouthwash in the treatment of ulcers. The inner bark is harvested from branches 3 - 4 years old and is dried for later use. The plant is used in Bach flower remedies - the keywords for prescribing it are 'Occasional feelings of inadequacy', 'Despondency' and 'Exhaustion from over-striving for perfection'. A homeopathic remedy is made from the inner bark. It is used in the treatment of eczema.
Astringent: Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.
Bach: Plants used in the Bach flower remedies.
Demulcent: Soothes, lubricates and softens irritated tissues, especially the mucous membranes.
Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
Eczema: Used in the treatment of eczema - a chronic health condition that affects the skin, causing redness, dryness, itching and infections.
Homeopathy: A plant used in homeopathic treatments.
Other
Rating: 2
A fibre from the inner bark is used for mats and making ropes. Wood - very durable under water, fairly hard, elastic, withstands abrasion and salt water. Used for water pipes, wheels, mallet heads, ships keels etc.
Fibre: Used for making cloth, rope, paper etc.
Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.
Attracts Wildlife: Plants noted for attracting wildlife
How it is grown
Landscape Uses:Specimen. Easily grown in any soil of at least moderate quality so long as it is well drained. Prefers a deep or heavy soil that is moist but not waterlogged and does not thrive if the soil is markedly acid. Moderately shade tolerant. Very wind resistant and tolerant of maritime exposure. Trees cast a dense shade. Rarely produces suckers but responds well to coppicing. The wych elm is subject to 'Dutch elm disease' (though less so than U. procera), a disease that has destroyed the greater part of all the elm trees growing in Britain. Mature trees killed back by the disease will often regrow from suckers, but these too will succumb when they get larger. There is no effective cure (1992) for the problem, but most E. Asian, though not Himalayan, species are resistant to the disease so the potential exists to develop new resistant hybrids with the native species. The various species hybridize freely, the pollen stores well and can be kept for use with species that flower at different times. A very ornamental tree, it is a food plant for the caterpillars of many lepidoptera species. A good tree for growing grapes into. Special Features: Not North American native, Inconspicuous flowers or blooms.
Propagating it: Seed - if sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe, it usually germinates within a few days. Stored seed does not germinate so well and should be sown in early spring. The seed can also be harvested 'green' (when it has fully developed but before it dries on the tree) and sown immediately in a cold frame. It should germinate very quickly and will produce a larger plant by the end of the growing season. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Plants should not be allowed to grow for more than two years in a nursery bed since they form a tap root and will then move badly. Layering of suckers or coppiced shoots.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Canopy;
Habit: Tree
Hardiness: 5-7
Growth: Fast
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
Its other names
Local names
Synonyms
U. campestre. pro parte. U. montana. U. scabra.