Siberian Elm Guild Ideas?

Hello,

We're working on transforming our new place. The only trees currently growing are a bunch of mature Siberian Elms. I'd like to start planting around them and take advantage of their nice canopy.

I'd love to hear suggestions of understory trees, bushes, etc. that produce fruit/nuts and would play nice with the elms. We're in zone 7b with an annual average rainfall of 11 inches. We do have access to irrigation, but will be employing other methods to reduce the amount of irrigation we'll need to use. Our soil is fairly alkaline, around 7.5.

Thank you!

Michelle in SW Idaho

I don't have any experience with Siberian Elm, but I was just curious, are you eating the samaras?  I read that they're good in Sam Thayer's book.  Good luck!

Huh. The thought to see if those were edible hadn't crossed my mind. Our goats sure love them- that would have been a clue!

I'll have to give them a whirl when they come in. We have so many, it would be great to find a use for them!

Thank you!

Michelle in SW Idaho

Eat the weeds has a nice article about that.

Eat the weeds

I have no ideas, but I'm watching this thread. We have what is called around here "piss elm". I THINK it's a Siberian Elm. Someone said something about it once, but I informed them of 2 facts. 1) it is the ONLY tree around here and it gives us shade, and 2) we don't have to water it. My kind of plant.

Be aware that Siberian Elm and Chinese Elm are two different trees.  The article Miles posted is about Chinese Elms. A nicer tree I think.

Here is a paper on Siberian Elm you might find interesting
Siberian Elm

This paper suggests Siberian Elms are allelopathic but indicates information is incomplete.  If they are strongly allelopathic, finding a guild may be tricky.

Siberian Elms are a pest where I live.  I've removed a few but haven't encouraged any.  So, I don't have any specific guild ideas.

Liz Hoxie wrote:We have what is called around here "piss elm".

Lol, we have an elm here that I used to hear called that when I was a kid.  I have no idea why and don't know what it's real name is.  Thanks for the laugh, I haven't heard that phrase in a long time.

Update:  A quick Google search says that "piss elm" is American Elm, and called that because of the smell it gives off when cut or burned.

I did the search a few years ago and found the same thing. That's why I was so confused. I knew that it wasn't American Elm. The closest fit was Siberian. The download here proved it. That's the same bark. Hubby confirmed it.

https://wildfoodgirl.com/2016/elm-samaras-edible-gourmet/
Check out Wild Food Girl's post on Siberian Elm samaras...making me weak....starting to want to plant a couple.

Want some seed? I'll still have some after trying them in a salad.I'll still be playing Paul Bunyan all summer.

I'd love some seed, thank you Liz!  PM sent.

i, too, came here in search of what might pair well with siberian elm, as we have an abundance of them where i live here in northern new mexico and almost everyone “hates” them. however, after reading “beyond the war on invasive species” by tao orion and “one straw revolutionary” by larry korn it seems that the construct of invasive species is quite limited and ignores the conditons we humans have created for these species to thrive in.

at any rate, i’ve begun tallying the siberian elm’s benefits and uses. so far i have:
-edible seeds (samaras, as noted above—a complete protein, as well, i hear). also, after reading the above about papery seed removal, i suspect there is a vast potentiality for food/seed oil, etc. from the seeds only.
-shares medicinal properties of slippery elm
-hardwood good for burning or building (if cut and split green)
-forage for animals (apparently goats LOVE it)
-fast-growing shade tree that is drought hardy (excellent here in the desert southwest)

there are certainly species that can thrive along its edges, but in the elm forest around where i live it appears to be almost a monoculture, save some species that likely existed before the elms came in (here a cottonwood or something in that family). the allelopathic model in gaia's garden by toby hemenway lays out some species that can be guilded, e.g. black walnut, mulberry, elderberry, hackberry, etc., so there are definitely some species that can work around these allelopathic pioneer species.

Santa Fe had a siberian elm eradication program they were spending millions on every year. They some grad student doing his thesis pointed out 80% of the tree canopy in SAF is Siberian elm and it is already to hot to plant cottonwoods.
The news thinking in arid regions is to keep the Siberian elms as they will survive the coming heat and reduced rains.
In my area the only deciduous trees growing wild are Siberian elms and desert willow.

I would try planting understory shrubs , serve berries can make it under elms, maybe wild plum, jujube on the edges of the shade.
The States extension service will have some 411 as will Plants of the South West.
This years low cost Tree and shrub sale by the forest service is in July you get the starts in the fall. It's about $80 for 40 plants.
Most are for wind break and reclamation .
Make sure you test your soil for PH and know the type of soil ( sandy, clay etc.) work backwards from there. Parts of my property are
8.5 ph few things can deal with that. if your ph is really high like this consider inputting humic acid with micro rhizomes and
see if your community has chipped wood for low cost. I have spent a couple years working on my soil in small areas as I can.
Yellow clover can live with our paltry rain and get some of those mircrorhiza to get going and get some nitrogen in the soil.