"Top 20 Shade Trees" for San Antonio!
Custom Plant Information by Wilson Landscape Nursery & Florist- Helotes, Texas
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#12 Cedar Elm (Ulmus crassifolia)
You have come to a great tree in your search! We at Wilson's hope that you find this plant information to be helpful and interesting. Let us know if we can help you further as you search for that special tree.
Our information is based upon decades of loving trees, learning about trees, growing trees, maintaining trees, talking about trees, selling trees. planting trees, watching trees grow, enjoying the beauty of trees and being grateful to God for creating trees!
“The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food.” “And God saw that it was good.” (Genesis 2:9; 1:12)
Strengths and Weaknesses Listed
All of our plant information sheets will eventually include a section on weaknesses instead of just strengths. All trees have weaknesses and strengths. In order to thoroughly evaluate a tree, you should consider both. Let me begin by offering some strengths of Cedar Elm and then I will describe some weaknesses. You will be happy to discover that this trees strengths overcome its weaknesses! In fact, from our viewpoint, Cedar Elm definitely makes the “Top-Twelve” list coming in at #12. But perhaps, it will become your number #1 choice.
Strengths
Strength: Beautiful Spring Foliage
Cedar Elms are quality shade trees that are especially beautiful in spring when they first leaf out with bright green foliage. As the season progresses they darken into a rich, healthy green. They also provide attractive orange fall foliage. What they lack in leaf size is made up for by their vast number of leaves. They grow moderately fast and can be sped up with good soil and watering.
Strength: Vase Like Tree Form
As the Cedar Elm gets large it develops the classic vase shape common to other Elms such as its cousin, American Elm.
Strength: A San Antonio Area Native
Cedar Elm, as the name implies, grows among the Cedar trees out in the Hill Country. They are common throughout the entire San Antonio area. They like it most along bottom-lands in the vicinity of rivers and creeks but they do just fine on more upland sights as well. It is more common in the valleys than on the hillsides. You can see them along the River Walk, at Breckenridge park, the Salado creek basin and most other river and stream basins in our area throughout Texas and beyond.
Strength: Large Shade Tree
On bottom-lands near streams they can get very large, up to 70 feet tall. The grand champion Cedar Elm grows on bottom land soil in Dallas and is 83' feet tall. When close together they can create a forest effect growing tall and narrow. If planted in the open they will spread out with a broader crown. Huge Cedar Elms can be seen at the Witte Museum and here at our nursery along Helotes Creek. They are sometimes mistaken for Live Oak trees because of their similar colored dark trunk bark. In a rocky Hill Country yard Cedar Elms will not get as tall but still become a large tree, about 50 feet tall.
Strength: Tough Landscaping Tree
Cedar Elms are tough trees that can withstand our droughts quite well. They are one of those trees like Live Oaks that can be planted and pretty much take care of themselves after the first year. So they are good for commercial plantings as well as residential. When younger you will enjoy the attractive leaves. As the tree gets older you will appreciate its large size. In a crowded or shady area Cedar Elms prune themselves of lower limbs so that they tend to grow tall and straight with gently arching branches. I have also seen nice specimens with lots of character a little bent and crooked. There's a Cedar Elm for everyone.
Strength: Orange Fall Foliage
Cedar Elms turn yellow to orange in the fall. Though the individual leaves are not large, the massive amount of these small leaves still puts on a good fall showing.
Weaknesses
All trees have weaknesses and strengths. In order to thoroughly evaluate a tree, you should consider both. You will be happy to discover that this trees strengths overcome its weaknesses!
Weakness: Small Leaves
Cedar Elm has small leaves compared to many other shade trees and much smaller than its Texas cousin American Elm. In its defense the tree makes up for that by being packed with many leaves.
Weakness: Self Pruning Tendency
As the tree gets really large it has a tendency to drop fairly large limbs during wind storms. It is a good idea not to plant a Cedar Elm where it will grow over your home. The limbs that fall may not cause catastrophic damage but they may make a dent. On the upside the tree tends to prune itself as it grows large so that it becomes tall, beautiful and vase-like.
Weakness: Seeds And Leaves
The Cedar Elm has plenty of leaves so if there has been a dry, hot summer leaves may start to fall gradually up until the major fall leaf drop in November to December. In addition to this there are the multitude of small seeds that are also dropped in the fall.
Cedar Elms For Sale At Wilson's
Each year we usually have a good supply of Cedar Elms. Typically these are sold as 5 gallon, 15 gallon, 30 gallon and 45 gallon. Most of our Cedar Elms have been grown from the seeds of the large mother trees that grace our nursery grounds.
A Blessing For You
We hope that this plant information helps you as you search for that perfect tree. Whichever tree you choose, may it bring you many years of beauty and peace.
May you and your tree be “like a tree planted by streams of water which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.” (Psalm 1:3)
So if you are interested in browsing or buying a Cedar Elm Tree in Helotes, please come check out our nursery at 14650 Bandera Road. We grow all of our own trees from the ground up and treat them with the best quality fertilizer so that you get a healthy, beautiful tree each time!
Buy a Cedar Elm Tree in Helotes / San Antonio at Wilson Landscape Nursery
Cedar Elm Tree
Ulmus crassifolia
Other Top 20 Trees
If you are interested in buying or browsing Cedar Elm Trees in Helotes or San Antonio, Wilson Landscape has an impressive stock of all sizes and shapes of trees. We grow our own cedar elms an always have 5 gallon, 15 gallon and 30 gallon options available. We grow all of our trees from acorns and seeds and only use the best fertilizers. We have beautiful Cedar Elm Trees to choose from. We specialize in tree growing, and we only grow native and well adapted Texas trees, so you can be sure they will flourish. Best of all, Glenn and Sherry are plant experts and would love to answer any and all questions and concerns you may have about your specific tree needs. Our knowledge is something that is hard to find. Come on in or give us a call today! (210) 695-2703
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