This beautiful Florida native is an upright, shade tree that long lived. Florida Elm is noted for its golden foliage in the Fall. It prefers full sun-part shade and moist soils, but is moderately drought tolerant once established. It is the host plant to the Eastern Comma, Question Mark, and the Painted Lady.
How to care for Florida Elm
Light. Grows in full sun or light shade.
Water. It grows naturally in floodplain forests and takes moist soil and occasional flooding. Once established it is moderately drought tolerant.
Soil and feeding. It grows in sand, clay or loam, from acidic to near neutral.
Size. Grows past 20 ft quickly. It is fast growing and can eventually reach 60–80 ft tall and 50–60 ft wide, so give it plenty of room.
Pruning. Prune only in the dormant season to help avoid spreading disease.
Problems to watch. Dutch elm disease, which killed many elms farther north, has not been detected in Florida. Avoid planting elms in long single-species rows.
Good to know. A Florida native and long-lived shade tree with golden yellow fall color. It is a larval host for the eastern comma and question mark butterflies, and birds eat the seeds in spring.
Sources: UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions: Florida Elm · Florida Native Plant Society Plant Database: Ulmus americana
