Native Plants

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Wednesday - April 27, 2016

From: Fort Worth, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Trees
Title: Cedar Elms too close together
Answered by: Jimmy Mills

QUESTION:

I'm fairly new to North Texas and recently bought a new home with 2 young cedar elms in the front yard. From my understanding these trees can grow quite large. My front is about 25 feet wide and the trees are planted 6 feet away from each other. Down the road will I have issues with this setup. I will likely take one out. Would be grateful for any of your thoughts.

ANSWER:

Ulmus crassifolia (Cedar elm) is a native North American deciduous tree which reaches 50 to 90 feet in height with a spread of 40 to 60 feet. It would be a low maintenance shade and street tree . However, two of these trees planted 6 feet apart may overwhelm your yard and interfere with each other as they mature.

I will supply several links that can help you through this dilemma.

The first is the Texas Tree Selector that has a lot of good information, but note particularly the portion about the spacing of trees in your yard.

This link to the Native Plant Society of Texas (NPSOT) will help you become better acquainted with hte tree.

This link to Texas AgriLife Extension tells about tree care in general, especially in Denton County.

A certified arborist can provide helpful advice, and this link the International Society of Arboricultue can help you find one in your area.

You need to be aware that Cedar Elms are susceptible to infection with Dutch Elm disease. This article from Texas A&M can tell you the signs of infection, and steps you can take to treat your trees

From the Image Gallery

Cedar elm
Ulmus crassifolia