Thicket/ Chinese Elm

COMMON NAME: Chinese Elm

OTHER COMMON NAME(S): Lace Bark Elm, Evergreen Elm

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Ulmus parvifolia

FAMILY: Ulmaceae

COMMUNITY: Thicket

STATUS: Introduced, Native of  North and Central China, Korea and Japan

LIFESPAN: Woody Tree

HEIGHT: 40 to 50 feet

FLOWERING TIME: Late summer

FRUITING TIME: Fall

DISTRIBUTION: Through out the USA

IDENTIFYING CHARACTERISTICS: Rounded crown ~ Bark smooth, sheds in fall ~ Leaves alternate, simple, elliptical, single toothed, 0.8 to 2.5 inches long and to 1 inch wide, slightly unequal at base, yellowish to reddish purple in fall ~ Flowers profuse clusters in late summer ~ Fruit tan, papery, wing-shaped, known as “Samara” ~ Roots shallow, invasive

GENERAL INFORMATION: The Chinese Elm is often confused with the Siberian Elm (Ulmus pumila), whose leaves are very similar. The outstanding characteristic of the Chinese Elm is bark that sheds in the fall leaving and irregular mottled spots of orange, gray, green and brown. Chinese Elm is tough durable tree easy to transplant, good street tree resistant to Dutch Elm disease and air pollution. Chinese Elm is used as a Bonsai Tree.  It has small leaves that remain on the tree the year around, excellent branching characteristics, twisted trunk and exposed roots which give the appearance of great age.