Ulmus procera - English Elm

The English Elm, sometimes called the English Cork Elm, is a large deciduous tree growing over 100' in it's native habitat, but more likely 60' in cultivation. The trees form a somewhat narrow crown with several large primary scaffold branches growing upward and then out. Fast growing, somewhat weedy, spreading by underground suckers, the trees show up in lots of places in large quantities. We have a "grove" of them on the campus in a ravine just north of the campus. The name could also be U. minor var. suberosa.

Leaves are deciduous, alternate, simple, 2-4" long, about half as wide, elliptical - ovate shaped, double serrated margins, upper surface quite scruffy (stiff hairs, scabrous) with the lower being slightly so as well as having lots of pubescences in the axils of the veins. Marginal yellow fall color.

Stems generally slender, zigzagging, light brown or slightly reddish.  May have lots of irregular corky growth. Not symmetrical like others like the U. alata which had 2 distinct rows of cork.

Flowers before leafing out in early spring, flowers reddish color.

Fruit is a rounded samara, about 1/2" diameter, papery when dry, seed in the middle of the fruit, tip of the samara lightly notched.

Bark is deeply ridged.

Misidentification:
Look for the seriously scabrous upper leaf surface, as well as the pubescent lower and the leaf size. Fruit is always helpful identifying elms.

Location:
Atpos
Cabrillo college, in the ravine north of the Sesnon House.
6900 block of Freedom Blvd.

Santa Cruz
Cedar St in the parking lot of the Calvary Episcopal Church - May be dead and removed soon.

7th Ave and Eaton St. on the 7th side of the house.