| Ulmus alata | |
|---|---|
| U. alata leaves. Photo: R. Nijboer. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Magnoliophyta |
| Class: | Magnoliopsida |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Ulmaceae |
| Genus: | Ulmus |
| Species: | U. alata |
| Binomial name | |
| Ulmus alata Michx. |
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| Synonyms | |
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Ulmus alata, the Winged Elm or Wahoo, is a small- to medium-sized deciduous tree endemic to the southern and south-central United States.
Contents |
As its common and scientific[1] names imply, Ulmus alata is most easily recognized by the very broad, thin pair of corky wings that form along the branchlets after a couple of years. The leaves are small, < 6.5 cm (2.5 in) long and < 2.0 cm (0.8 in) broad, oblong-lanceolate to narrowly elliptic, thin in texture, and smooth above. The wind-pollinated perfect apetalous flowers are borne on long pedicels in March and April before the leaves appear. The reddish samarae are relatively small, < 8 mm long, narrowly elliptic with two long incurving stigmas at the tip, and usually disperse by the end of April.[2][3] The canopy form is variable, from pyramidal to rounded.
Ulmus alata is found in woodlands in the southeastern and south-central United States. It is tolerant of a wide range of soils, and of ponding, but is the least shade-tolerant of the North American elms. Its growth rate is often very slow, the trunk increasing in diameter by < 5mm (0.2 in) per annum.
The species is occasionally considered a nuisance as it readily invades old fields, forest clearings, and rangelands, proving particularly difficult to eradicate with herbicides.[4]
Like most species of Ulmus, U. alata is very susceptible to Dutch elm disease and Elm Yellows (Elm phloem necrosis).[5]
Ulmus alata is rarely cultivated beyond its natural range. It remains in commercial production in the USA, and is occasionally available in Europe. However, it is very uncommon in Australasia.[6]
Widely available.
Ulmus alata is of minimal commercial significance, its hard timber considered no more remarkable than that of other American elms, and of limited use because of the commonly small size of the trees. However, owing to its resistance to splitting, it is used to make high-quality hockey sticks.
On the silty uplands of the Mississippi River Delta, Ulmus alata can attain 27 m (89 ft) in height, although the trunk diameter rarely exceeds 60 cm (24 in) d.b.h. In the old growth Fernbank Forest in Atlanta, Georgia, the species attains heights up to 126 feet (38 m).
The tallest known extant individual, at 131 feet (40 m), is in the Congaree National Park in South Carolina.[8]