Wych elm

Ulmus glabra

Native upland elm with broader leaves and a more open crown than English elm. More tolerant of Dutch elm disease and the easiest elm to establish in northern gardens.

Hardiness ratings

Wych elm hardiness across the four zone systems
SystemRatingTemperature rangeHow to read it
USDA hardiness zone Zone 4–7 −34.4 °C to −12.2 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone
RHS hardiness rating H7 down to −20 °C Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance
Canadian plant hardiness zone Zone 4–7 −29 °C to −7 °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

  • Larval food plant for the white-letter hairstreak and the rare large tortoiseshell butterfly
  • More resistant to Dutch elm disease than English elm — the best elm for upland and northern plantings
  • Distinctive papery winged seeds appear before the leaves in spring

Categories

Related plants

Cross-check Wych elm against your zones

Reference

Wych elm on Wikipedia