Loving Your Siberian Elms with Coppice and Pollard
By Sandra Mack
10/18/20241 min read
Siberian Elms self-seed in Albuquerque, and for many people, they are the only shade trees they have. Besides their overwhelming seed production and many pesky volunteer seedlings, the elms also reach very large sizes, are expensive to manage, and have relatively weak wood, making management critical. Large elms can disrupt plumbing and sewer systems with their huge thirsty root systems, and they can take up all the space in which you would like to grow other trees.
On the plus side, Siberian Elm leaves are edible (as are all elm leaves) and the seeds in the spring are a fantastic salad green. Young shoots and leaves can be used as fodder for animals. They provide wonderful shade.
The ancient arts of coppice and pollard can help us manage elms, and many other trees in the home setting to:
Maintain an ideal size, including limiting root size
Create a source of mulch or fodder
Provide ideal shade
Create better habitat for nesting birds
Make leaves and seeds more accessible for harvest
Extend the life of the tree by hundreds of years
At our workshop on October 27th, we will be doing the initial pollard cuts on two young, multi-trunked elm trees. Bring your favorite pruning tool and learn with us!