American Elm Tree (Ulmus americana or wigpi)

When you picture Halifax’s urban forest, you are likely picturing residential streets lined with big, beautiful, native elms. They have a distinctive vase shaped canopy and a large (but strong!), multi-stemmed branch structure that makes them ideal for growing close to homes and other urban infrastructure.  Elms have struggled since Dutch elm disease’s first detection in Nova Scotia in the late 60’s, but fortunately, it hasn’t decimated our elm population like it has in other parts of the country. In the city, planted varieties are bred to be resistant to Dutch elm disease. Native elms are still found in small pockets of Nova Scotia, specifically in rich, floodplain forests alongside species such as sugar maple and white ash. They can also be grown alongside Black Walnut, a species that releases toxins to deter other species growing nearby.