Princeton Elm
Scientific name: Ulmus americana ‘Princeton’
Princeton elm is a cultivated variety (cultivar) of the American elm, a large deciduous tree native to eastern and central North America. This fast-growing tree reaches 50-70 ft in height and 30-50 ft in width.
Princeton elm has a vase-shaped and broad-rounded crown. Small green flowers appear in spring before the leaves. The fall color is yellow. The seeds are held in wafer-like samaras (flattened oval-rounded papery wing). The leaves are toothed, rough, elliptic, and dark green. The beloved American elm was once widely planted as a street and lawn tree but has since been devastated by Dutch elm disease.
Princeton elm exhibits excellent resistance to Dutch elm disease and is tolerant of many adverse site conditions, including wet or dry sites, occasional flooding or drought, alkaline or clay soil, road salt, air pollution, and light shade. This is a great tree for residential areas, parks, wide medians, and rain gardens. It grows in full sun and in plant hardiness zones 3-9.
