Winged Elm—Ulmus alata

Medium | Deciduous | Height: 40-60 feet | Spread: 20-40 feet

Winged elm prefers full to partial sun and moist soil with good drainage. It tolerates different soil types. When grown in an open site, it has a short bole (the trunk below the crown) and branches arching upward to form a rounded crown, with leaves turning yellow in fall. Landscape uses for winged elm include woodlands and naturalized areas, shade trees or street trees, and butterfly, native, pollinator and winter gardens.

This elm is valuable to wildlife as a source of food, nesting and habitat. The seeds are eaten by songbirds (look for the American gold finch) and small mammals. It supports the larvae of a large variety of butterflies including the question mark butterfly.

More information on the characteristics and cultivation of this species can be found at https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ulmus-alata