Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
North America, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Canada
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Types
-
-
Number of Varieties
203
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Woodland Garden Canopy
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-114-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-1
9-1
Sunset Zone
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,830.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
8.50 cm1,220.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Tan, Sandy Brown
Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Sandy Brown
Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Green
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
oblong or obovate
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
-
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Fertilizers
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
Pests and Diseases
Blackspot mold
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
-
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Beetles, Birds
-
Allergy
Miscarriage, Rash
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Beautiful Skin, Heals Damaged Hair, Strong, beautiful hair
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Erosion control, Wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Demulcent, Diuretic, Expectorant, Nutritive
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Inner Bark, Leaves
Whole plant
Other Uses
Chewed as a thirst quencher, Tea-like beverage can be brewed, Used as a thickener in soups, Used to make a twine
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Shade Trees
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
ULMUS rubra
BETULA nigra
Common Name
Slippery Elm
River Birch
In Hindi
Slippery Elm
River Birch
In German
Rotulme
Fluss Birch
In French
Slippery Elm
Birch river
In Spanish
olmo resbaladizo
river Birch
In Greek
Slippery Elm
ποταμός Birch
In Portuguese
Slippery Elm
river Birch
In Polish
Slippery Elm
Rzeka Birch
In Latin
Lubricus Elm
Betula
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Urticales
Fagales
Family
Ulmaceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Ulmus
Betula
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
203
1
27800
👆🏻