| Water elm | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Ulmaceae |
| Genus: |
Planera J.F.Gmel. |
| Species: | P. aquatica |
| Binomial name | |
|
Planera aquatica J.F.Gmel. |
|
| Natural range of the water elm | |
Planera is a genus of flowering plants with a single species, Planera aquatica, the planertree or water elm. Found in the southeastern United States,it is a small deciduous tree 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. The leaves are 3–7 cm long, with a serrated margin. 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.