Ulmus serotina Sarg., the September elm, is an autumn-flowering North American species of tree. It is uncommon beyond
Tennessee; it is only very locally distributed through
Illinois,
Kentucky,
Arkansas,
Mississippi,
Oklahoma,
Alabama, and
Georgia, and disjunct populations into
Nuevo León, Mexico.[2] It grows predominantly on
limestone bluffs and along streams to elevations of 400 m.[3]
Description
Rarely exceeding 20 m in height, the tree has a rounded crown with spreading to pendulous branches. The glabrous young shoots become progressively corky-winged with age, and bear
oblong to
obovate leaves <8 cm long.[4] The wind-pollinated
apetalousperfect flowers form pendulous
racemes, which open in September and serve to distinguish the species from its cogenitor, the
cedar elmU. crassifolia, with which it readily hybridizes. The
samarae are oblong-elliptical, 10–15 mm in length, deeply divided at the apex, and ripen in November
[1].
U. serotina bark
Bole of same
U. serotina foliage
U. serotina in fruit
September elm in October, Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis, Tennessee (2010)
Before the outbreak of Dutch elm disease, U. serotina enjoyed limited popularity as a shade tree in the southern part of its range. The tree grows well on most soils, but is intolerant of
anaerobic or
saline conditions; it is also frost tolerant to -30°
C (-23°
F). The September elm is very rare in cultivation in Europe;[5] it was briefly propagated and marketed in the UK by the Hillier and Sons nursery,
Winchester, Hampshire, from 1972 to 1977, when 16 were sold.[6][7] It is not known to have been introduced to Australasia. No
cultivars of this taxon are known, nor is it known to be in commerce.
^Todzia, C. A.; Panero, J. L. (1998), "A new species of Ulmus (Ulmaceae) from southern Mexico and a synopsis of the species in Mexico", Brittonia, 50 (3): 343–347,
doi:
10.2307/2807778,
JSTOR2807778,
S2CID21320752
^Duncan, W. H., & Duncan, M. B. (2000). Trees of the Southeastern United States, 234–238. Athens, Georgia, USA.
ISBN0-8203-2271-7
^"Ulmus serotina Sarg.". Herbarium catalogue. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
^Bean, W. J. (1981). Trees and shrubs hardy in Great Britain, 7th edition. Murray, London.
^Hillier & Sons (1977). Catalogue of Trees & Shrubs. Hillier, Ampfield, UK.
^Hillier & Sons Sales inventory 1962 to 1977 (unpublished).