Once a defining tree of the English lowland landscape, devastated by Dutch elm disease from the 1970s onwards. Disease-resistant cultivars now make replanting viable.
Hardiness ratings
| System | Rating | Temperature range | How to read it |
|---|---|---|---|
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 5–8 | −28.9 °C to −6.7 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| RHS hardiness rating | H6 | −20 °C to −15 °C | Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance |
| Canadian plant hardiness zone | Zone 5–8 | −23 °C to −1 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| Australian (ANBG) zone | Zone 2–5 | −10 °C to 10 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
Growing notes
- Near-sole larval food plant for the white-letter hairstreak butterfly — the species is now critically dependent on elm conservation
- Devastated across the UK from the 1970s by Dutch elm disease (Ophiostoma novo-ulmi)
- Plant only modern disease-resistant cultivars (e.g. ‘New Horizon’, ‘Lutece’) when restoring elm to the landscape
- Mature wild trees are now extremely rare
Categories
Related plants
Cross-check English elm against your zones