Get to know this plant.
Identification clue 1
Uneven leaf bases
Identification clue 2
Doubly toothed margins
Identification clue 3
Flat winged fruits in spring
Read the leaves
One side of the leaf base extends farther down the stalk. Prominent veins end at teeth that bear smaller teeth.
More growing details
Read the bark
Gray mature bark forms interlacing ridges; it is not typically the colorful exfoliating mosaic of lacebark elm.
Fruit & seed
Flat rounded samaras form in spring, often before full leaf expansion.
Winter character
Alternate buds and a vase-shaped crown support identification but do not establish the Princeton cultivar.
Origin & place
The species occurs naturally in the southern Appalachian region; a planted specimen is not evidence of wild local origin.
Compare with Lacebark elm
Lacebark elm generally has smaller leaves, patchwork bark, and fall-fruiting samaras.
WNC Notes
Dutch elm disease-tolerant cultivar; structural pruning and adequate space remain important.
Sun Exposure
Full sun
MATURE HEIGHT (FT)
60–80
MATURE WIDTH (FT)
40–60
BLOOM SEASON
Early spring
BLOOM COLOR
Inconspicuous
FALL / WINTER COLOR
Yellow
Wet-Soil Tolerance
High
Drought Tolerance
Low