Elm Tree Roots

JimmyZ

I have a crazy question. I am a writer and writing a story about an Elm tree. I need some expert info on Elms. I want a big old Elm. How old would it be? How big would it be? And most important, I need an understanding of what its root system would be like. How deep it would be? How wide? How thick would the roots be?

Thanks,

JimmyZ

slikk03

well i am a music writter and love elm trees as well. first off if your going to make a story about a tree i would say make it 150 years old and about 100 feet high with whisping branches reaching to the sky. as far as the roots of an elm they do not go as deep as most trees so i dought you could say much about the roots. focus on the branching patern

Brent Ferris

Assuming you're talking about American WHite Elm (Ulmus americana) allow for an age up to 250, a height of 120 to 150 ft with a crown spread about the same, and a trunk diameter 4 ft plus. Root wise, most roots are in the top 6 to 12 inches, though elm might be as deep as 18-24 in clay soils, deeper in sand -- and the roots spread outwards, roughly 3 times the crown diameter. Most of the anchoring roots are not likely to be more than 1/3 to 1/2 the trunk diameter. Hope this helps. Other elms don't get as large.

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