Side by side
European white elm or wych elm? How to tell them apart
Ulmus laevis · Ulmus glabra
How to tell them apart – European white elm: elm with flowers and fruits on long, hanging stalks that flutter in the wind, the trunk often has burrs and buttress roots; wych elm: larger, very rough leaf and large, stalkless fruits.
How do you recognise them?
- European white elm
- Elm with flowers and fruits on long, hanging stalks that flutter in the wind; the trunk often has burrs and buttress roots.
- Wych elm
- Elm with a very large, rough leaf whose lopsided base covers the short leaf stalk; often three points at the tip.
- Compared with European white elm: larger, very rough leaf and large, stalkless fruits.
| European white elm | Wych elm | |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | Alternate, 6–12 cm, oval with a very lopsided base, sharply double-toothed with forward-curving teeth; upper side fairly smooth, underside softly greyish-hairy. Leaf stalk 4–6 mm. | Alternate, 8–16 cm, broadly obovate with a long pointed tip, often with two extra side points; double-toothed. Upper side as rough as sandpaper. The larger half of the leaf covers the very short stalk (2–5 mm) with an ear lobe. |
| Flowering | Clusters of flowers on long, hanging stalks (1–3 cm), in March before the leaves (March). | Clusters of small reddish-purple flowers in February–March, before the leaves (March). |
| Fruit | Small (about 1 cm) winged fruits with a finely fringed edge, on long stalks; the seed sits in the middle. | Large (1.5–2.5 cm), round winged fruits with the seed in the middle; ripe in May–June. |
| Bark | Grey-brown, in thin flakes; old trunks often have burrs, epicormic shoots and plank-like buttress roots at the base. | Smooth and grey for a long time, only later furrowed into broad, shallow ridges; young twigs thick and hairy, without corky ridges. |
| Shape and height | Broadleaf tree, 20–30 m | Broadleaf tree, 20–30 m |
| Site | Sun or partial shade, any garden soil, moist to wet | Sun or partial shade, any garden soil, normal |
| Native to Belgium | Yes | Yes |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | – | – |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Not known to be poisonous | Not known to be poisonous |
| Pruning months | November–February | November–February |
What does it mean for your garden?
- Both are native and good for wildlife: choose what suits your soil, your light and the space you have.
- European white elm (20–30 m) and wych elm (20–30 m) both grow into large trees: too big for an ordinary garden, but fine in a large garden, a park or a meadow.
Read on
- Plant profile: European white elm
- Plant profile: Wych elm
- European white elm: when and how to prune
- Wych elm: when and how to prune
- Identification key
Also looks like
Identify by feature
This comparison is compiled from the Bladwijzer species pages.