--- title: Siberian Elms: The Tree on Every Old Nevada Lot url: https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/siberian-elms-old-nevada-lots/ business: Battle Born Tree Service address: 6301 US Highway 50 East, Carson City, NV 89701 phone: 775.232.8243 hours: Office Monday-Friday 8:30 am-5:00 pm; phones answered seven days a week; 24-hour emergency service credentials: ISA Certified Arborist WE-11728A on staff; Nevada Business License # 20131580674; fully insured type: Tree service (removal, crane work, pruning, stump grinding, defensible space, snow removal, firewood) --- - [Home](https://battleborntreeservice.com/) - [The Field Guide](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/) - Siberian elms: the tree on every old Nevada lot # What should you do about a Siberian elm on an older Nevada lot? Siberian elm is a tough, low-water tree that grew well on old Northern Nevada lots, and many are now very large. Keep one that is sound with pruning to remove dead wood, and ask an arborist about removal when it is decayed, too large for the lot or repeatedly defoliated. Key takeaways - UNR Extension lists Siberian elm as low water use and high salt tolerance, hardy in zones 4 to 9. - The same table notes it may be planted only in unincorporated areas of Washoe County. - Elm leaf beetle feeds mainly on Siberian elm in Northern Nevada; the tree is rarely killed outright, but repeated defoliation weakens it. - Keeping the tree watered helps it tolerate defoliation, per Extension. - Spraying and injections are outside Battle Born's services. If your house was built before the 1980s, the large elm in the yard was probably planted for shade when the neighborhood was new. These trees do not die easily, but they get old, and the decisions about them come up in older neighborhoods again and again. ## Why are Siberian elms everywhere in Northern Nevada? Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila) tolerates our dry, alkaline conditions. University of Nevada, Reno Extension's table of boron- and salt-tolerant trees for Northern Nevada lists it at low water use, high salt tolerance and moderate boron tolerance, hardy in zones 4 to 9. It was a practical choice for shade on lots without much irrigation. The same table has a footnote that matters if you are thinking of planting one: it may be planted only in unincorporated areas of Washoe County. Check local rules before planting any new tree. Our [Siberian elm profile](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-guide/siberian-elm/) has identification details. ## Age and the neighborhood Census data shows how old many of our neighborhoods are. About 62.5 percent of homes in the 89509 ZIP code in Old Southwest Reno were built before 1980, and about 48.6 percent in Carson City. Trees on those lots have had decades to grow, and some are at the point where large limbs, cavities or lean become the main question. ## What does the elm leaf beetle do to Siberian elms? Extension's elm leaf beetle publication says the beetle feeds mainly on Siberian elm in Northern Nevada. Larvae feed on leaves in summer, leaving a lacy, brown, skeletonized look, and leaves can curl and drop early. The tree is rarely killed outright, but repeated defoliation weakens it over several years. Extension's first recommendation is simple: keep trees well watered, because vigorous trees tolerate defoliation better than drought-stressed ones. Its other options are insecticide treatments. We do not spray or inject trees, so for those the Extension office and licensed applicators are the contacts. See our [elm leaf beetle page](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-guide/elm-leaf-beetle/). ## Pruning an old elm - Clean the crown of dead wood; it can be done any time of year - Reduce weight on long, heavy limbs that reach over roofs, with reduction cuts, not topping - Prune in the dormant season for structural work, late winter for most deciduous trees - Ask about cabling where there is a weak fork on an otherwise sound tree See [the best time to prune](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/best-time-to-prune-trees-northern-nevada/) and [cabling and bracing](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/tree-cabling-bracing-explained/). ## When removal is the answer The ISA says hiring an arborist is recommended when a tree is dead, dying or considered an unacceptable risk, when it causes an obstruction that is impossible to correct through pruning, or when new construction requires removal. For a very large elm over a house, the work often uses a crane or boom truck. We explain the options in [how crane tree removal works](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/how-crane-tree-removal-works/). A certified arborist assesses every job first. Battle Born Tree Service has two ISA Certified Arborists on staff, including ISA Certified Arborist WE-11728A. We never tell you a tree is safe or unsafe without looking at it. ### Sources - [University of Nevada, Reno Extension: Boron- and salt-tolerant trees and shrubs for northern Nevada](https://extension.unr.edu/publication.aspx?PubID=3316) (read October 17, 2026) - [University of Nevada, Reno Extension: Elm Leaf Beetle](https://extension.unr.edu/publication.aspx?PubID=4806) (read October 17, 2026) - [International Society of Arboriculture, Trees Are Good: Why Hire an Arborist](https://www.treesaregood.org/Portals/0/TreesAreGood_Why%20Hire%20An%20Arborist_0321.pdf) (read October 17, 2026) ### Talk to the office [775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243) | Monday to Friday | 8:30 am - 5:00 pm | |---|---| | Saturday and Sunday | Office closed, phones answered | Phones answered seven days a week. 24-hour emergency service. [Free estimate](#quote) ### Keep reading - [Siberian elm](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-guide/siberian-elm/) - [Elm leaf beetle](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-guide/elm-leaf-beetle/) - [Dutch elm disease](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-guide/dutch-elm-disease/) - [Watering mature trees in the high desert](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/watering-mature-trees-high-desert/) - [How old are the homes, and the trees? Housing age by town](https://battleborntreeservice.com/data/housing-age-by-town/) - [Large tree removal](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-services/large-tree-removal/) ### Terms on this page [Arborist](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/arborist/) [The full glossary](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/) ## More from the blog Pruning and care October 17, 2026 5 min read ### What should you do with your trees in October in Carson City and Reno? In October, finish watering while the ground is open, look over your trees for dead or hanging limbs, and clear leaves and needles away from the house. Save most live-wood pruning for the dormant seas Pruning and care October 17, 2026 6 min read ### Young trees in new subdivisions: the first ten years A young tree in a new subdivision needs very little pruning in its first two or three years, then steady structural pruning to build one strong central trunk and well-spaced branches. The ISA says tre Removal and equipment October 17, 2026 6 min read ### Where tree debris and green waste go in Reno and Carson City Green waste has a few legitimate homes in our area: the landfill or transfer station if the load is only wood and green waste, a fire district drop-off day or curbside chipping program if you qualify, [All posts](https://battleborntreeservice.com/blog/) ## Questions people ask Still have a question? Call [775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243). Phones are answered seven days a week. ### Does Siberian elm need a lot of water? UNR Extension rates it low for water use. Even so, Extension recommends keeping trees well watered so they tolerate beetle defoliation. ### Is elm leaf beetle damage fatal? Extension says the tree is rarely killed outright, but repeated defoliation weakens it over several years. ### Can I plant a Siberian elm? Extension's table notes it may be planted only in unincorporated areas of Washoe County. Check with your local jurisdiction. ### Does Battle Born spray for elm leaf beetle? No. We do not offer spraying, injections or pest treatment.