What species of Tree is This?

[rickneworleans]

Can someone tell what type of tree this is?  I believe it is an Elm Tree.  I'm looking for the exact species name.  It came from somewhere in Mississippi.  It is planted in South East Louisiana.



 



 




 

 

[Jeff]

I dunno what kind of tree, but that sure looks like an american elm leaf. Maybe the trees have a very different form in the south than the North?

[rickneworleans]

Thanks for the reply.  I thought it was an American Elm also but then I started researching it a few days ago and now I'm not sure.  It seems the leaves are very similar on the different species.  It looks like there are 10 or so major species of Elm trees.  The one's I've found are listed below.  The appearance matches the Chinese Elm closely.  ..specifically the bark.  It is unique looking and very similar.  The Chinese Elm is also called the Drake Elm which seems to be sold in our area.  A large home improvement store and some tree nurseries sell Drake Elms near by.  Any Elm experts on here that can confirm or maybe suggest another match?

American Elm - (Ulmus americana)
Camperdown Elm (Ulmus glabra 'Camperdownii')
Cedar Elm (Ulmus Crassifolia)
Cherry-Bark Elm (Ulmus Villosa)
Chinese Elm (Ulmus Parvifolia)
David Elm (Ulmus Davidiana)
English Elm (Ulmus Procera)
European White Elm (Ulmus Laevis)
Siberian Elm (Ulmus Pumila)
Slippery Elm (Ulmus Ruba / Ulmus Fulva)

[caveman]

It looks like an American Elm leaf to me also.  I would say you are safe to rule out a Chinese Elm and a Winged Elm.

[KEC]

Take a Look at Zelcova and you decide. The single leaf is not enough. The upward angle of the branches look like Zelcova, but I am uncertain.

[Texas Ranger]

kinda looks like cherry bark

[WDH]

Is the leaf very sandpapery rough on the top surface?

[rickneworleans]

I took some new pictures of the leaves and trunk.  The leaves are not slick but fairly smooth on both sides.



 

 

 

 

 

[btulloh]

Seeing those new pictures makes me think it's some kind of birch. 

[stanmillnc]

Pretty sure that's River Birch. Fairly common tree in the SouthEast.

[WDH]

It is definitely an elm.. The inequilateral base is characteristic.  It is some kind of foreign import.  I do not believe that it is a native elm.  This is surely it.  Chinese elm.

http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=90

[caveman]

I originally ruled out Chinese Elm due to the photo of the bark in the earlier pictures but after seeing the close up picture of the limb I would like to retract what I earlier suggested.  I agree with WDH (he's rarely wrong) that this is a Chinese Elm.  The small twigs will often grow very long and would make good switches if folks still used such things in the rearing of children.  The leaves of the Chinese Elms I have seen are generally smaller than those of an American Elm.

[WV Sawmiller]

   My mom has one like that at her home in N Fla and the bark looks nearly identical - we always called it Chinese elm. Not a native tree to the area.

[farmfromkansas]

Federal govment brought chinese elm in during the dust bowl here in Kansas, but that leaf looks more like our red elm.  Chinese elm is an invasive species here now.

[WDH]

But the bark is wrong for red elm and just right for chinese elm. 

[caveman]

See reply 575 on the tree of the day thread.  It looks very similar.

[farmfromkansas]

There is an old guy in the town of Gypsum KS, who claims to have a "spread" elm.  The tree is really spread out, and covers a lot of ground.  Kind of like the one pictured.