''Planera aquatica'', the planertree or water elm, is a

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

. Found in the southeastern

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, it is a small

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and botany, the term deciduous () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed Leaf, leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, aft ...

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, e.g., including only woody plants with secondary growth, only ...

10–15 m tall, closely related to the elms but with a softly, prickly nut 10–15 mm diameter, instead of a winged seed. It grows, as the name suggests, on wet sites. Despite its common English name, this species is not a true elm, although it is a close relative of the elms (species of the genus ''Ulmus''). It is also subject to Dutch elm disease, a disease which affects only members of the Ulmaceae. It is native to most of the southeast United States. It is hardy down to Zone 7.

Description

File:Water Elm, Planera aquatica, Bark.jpg, Bark File:Planera aquatica, Water Elm, Leaves.jpg, Leaves File:Planera aquatica, Water Elm. Underside of leaf.jpg, Leaf underside displaying pubescence File:Water Elm, Planera aquatica, fruit.jpg, Fruit with and without shell *

Leaves A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, ...

: alternate, 3–7 cm long, with irregularly serrated to double serrated margins. Leaf base wedge-shaped or rounded. Leaf base often equal and symmetrical, but can be asymmetrical. Thin pubescent hair is often present on underside of leaf. * Bark: gray-brown, thin, some flaky loose scales. Exfoliates to reveal red-brown area under bark. * Fruit: a

drupe In botany, a drupe (or stone fruit) is a type of fruit in which an outer fleshy part (exocarp, or skin, and mesocarp, or flesh) surrounds a single shell (the ''pip'' (UK), ''pit'' (US), ''stone'', or ''pyrena'') of hardened endocarp with a seed ...

. Has a green shell that turns brown with age. Matures April - May.

Distinguishing characteristics

While often confused with true elms, it can be easily distinguished by noticing the fruit are drupes and not samaras. When fruit are not in season, the flaky bark is unique to water elm and not characteristic of true elms. May also be confused with ''

Celtis ''Celtis'' is a genus of about 60–70 species of deciduous trees, commonly known as hackberries or nettle trees, in the hemp family Cannabaceae. It has a cosmopolitan distribution. Description ''Celtis'' species are generally medium-sized tree ...

'' (hackberries), but hackberry leaves have pronounced lower lateral veins not found on water elm.

Ecology

Typically found on alluvial floodplains subjected to seasonal or temporary flooding. Often found in swamps, streams, lakes, or in riparian areas. Has some wildlife value, food for bees and some bird species. Prefers sandy or gravelly, moist soils. Classified as an obligate wetland plant (OBL).

References

Ulmaceae Taxa named by Johann Friedrich Gmelin {{Ulmaceae-stub