The treetops are full of flowers right now. They are mostly inconspicuous tiny flowers in treetops, especially given the warm, virtually non-existent winter (don’t say that too loud). The predominant blooms are those of elm trees.
There are seven species of elm that grow naturally in Arkansas. Here in Carroll County we have four native elm species including American elm (Ulmus americana), rock elm (Ulmus thomasii), slippery elm (Ulmus rubra), and winged elm (Ulmus alata).
You are unlikely to encounter rock elm, as it is relatively uncommon only occurring in Carroll and Benton counties in Northwest Arkansas. Generally, we are out of the range of this elm, which historically was the most valued for elm wood because of its hardness, density and because it takes on a high polish. To the best of my knowledge, I have not seen a rock elm that I’ve recognized as such, so keep your eyes open for one.
American elm is common, but of course, has been decimated by Dutch elm disease, which is a sac fungus spread by the elm bark beetle. It was first identified in Europe in 1910, then exported to North America in 1928 on a shipment of lumber from the Netherlands. Despite the name, “Dutch elm disease,” the fungus is believed to be of Asian origin. Evidence suggests something was wrong with elm trees much earlier; their decline observed near Oxford, England, by the 1780s. Even the name of the elm bark beetle Scolytus destructor, a scientific name bestowed on the bug in 1795, hints at the havoc it would deliver in later centuries.
Winged elm gets its name from the corky flattened ridges extending from the stems. It is generally a small tree to 10 feet or so, usually found in dry rocky areas in the Ozarks. It’s leaves are much smaller than other elms in our area.
Slippery elm is economically important not for its lumber, but because the inner bark is still approved as an over-the-counter drug for the treatment of mild sore throats (think slippery elm lozenges). Upwards of 200 tones of the dried inner bark are sold in the botanical trade today. Planning for the future, anyone looking for a long-term crop (10 years or more) might consider a plantation of slippery elm trees.