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Ulmus americana L.
American Elm
Florida Elm
Synonym(s): Ulmus americana var. floridana (Chapm.) Little
Florida native
A frequent tree of floodplain forested throughout much of Florida except for the southernmost peninsula. The range includes most of the United States and Canada east of the Rocky Mountains.
A good-sized deciduous tree that grows to about 40m (131 ft.) tall with alternate simple leaves that are two-ranked along the branches. Leaves are oval-shaped with asymmetrical bases and doubly serrate margins, 2-15cm (3/4 to 6 in.) long and 1-10cm (1/2 to 4 in.) wide. Flowers are small in drooping catkins and the fruit is a small flattened samara about 1cm (less than 1/2 in.) long.
Some botanists consider some of the Ulmus americana trees in Florida to be a variety (var. floridana), which is then called Florida elm.
Ulmus americana is a member of the Ulmaceae - Elms and Zelkovas family.
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
iNaturalist profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: Jan 20, 2026
