Click on the images help you identify a rock elm.
Form
Height ranges from 60 to 70 feet, with a trunk diameter of 24 to 48 inches. The tree has a straight trunk and a somewhat conical crown with long, graceful branches.
Bark
The bark is ash gray, divided by deep fissures into broad, flat ridges. Outer bark layers alternate white and brown in cross section.
Leaf
Leaves are simple, alternate on the stem, and 2 to 4 inches long. They are deep green, with doubly toothed margins and an uneven base. Leaves turn yellow in autumn.
Fruit (seed)
The winged samara is about 1/2 inch long, ovate and wafer-like, containing a single seed and slightly notched at the outer end. Samaras ripen in early summer.
Range
Commonly found on bottomlands in the eastern and south-central parts of the state, especially in the Minnesota River Valley, extending as far north as Clearwater County. The species is moderately shade tolerant and fast growing.
Wood uses
The wood is extremely hard and tough, difficult to split, and only moderately resistant to decay. Sapwood is nearly white in mature trees. The wood is used for parts of heavy agricultural implements, vehicles, handles, and boats.