Chinese Elm Ulmus parvifolia
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Chinese Elm:
- Phonetic Spelling
- ULM-us par-vi-FO-li-ah
- Description
-
Chinese elm is a large deciduous shade tree in the Ulmaceae family. The bark provides winter interest as exfoliation leaves irregular spots of orange, gray, green and brown. It is a tough, durable tree and easy to transplant. Chinese Elm makes a tough and shade-resistant street or urban tree that is also resistant to Dutch elm disease and air pollution. It tolerates being planted in wet sites and is moderately salt tolerant. It is adaptable to different soil and pH types. Unfortunately, it has low wind resistance and has the potential to be weedy in surrounding landscapes. There is great variability among seedlings. It is used in bonsai also.
Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: It also has good resistance to Japanese beetle and elm leaf beetle. Good resistance to Dutch elm disease, a fatal fungal disease spread by airborne bark beetles. It occasionally experiences disease problems like wilts, rots, cankers and leaf spots. Branches can break when stressed with snow, ice, or wind.
Quick ID
- Inverted pins bearing leaves
- leaves asymmetrical, parallel veins, each to a too
- Leaves coriaceous, persisting, medium to very small
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Bonsai Garden
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Allee'
- 'Drake'
- 'Golden Ray'
- 'Allee'
- 'Allee', 'Drake', 'Golden Ray'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Allee'
- 'Drake'
- 'Golden Ray'
- 'Allee'
- 'Allee', 'Drake', 'Golden Ray'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Ulmus
- Species:
- parvifolia
- Family:
- Ulmaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Immature fruits have been used raw or cooked.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Root Cutting
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Asia
- Play Value:
- Shade
- Textural
- Dimensions:
- Height: 40 ft. 0 in. - 60 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 50 ft. 0 in. - 60 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Semi-evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Rounded
- Vase
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5b, 5a, 6b, 6a, 7b, 7a, 8a, 8b, 9b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Samara
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Fruit is an oblong, flattened, papery winged-samara. Appears in the fall.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Description:
- Male and female flowers on the same tree are insignificant and reddish-green in late summer.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Semi-evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Obovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are simple and alternate. 1-2 inches, elliptic to obovate, crenately serrate, acute to subacuminate, weakly asymmetrical at base to oblique, lateral veins parrell, each one ending in a tooth, lower surface with minute hair tufts in vein axils.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Gray
- Green
- Light Gray
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Surface/Attachment:
- Exfoliating
- Bark Description:
- Bark is exfoliating in irregular patterns, mottled, exposing lighter bark below.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Buds:
- Scaly
- Stem Description:
- Stems bearing inverted pins. Buds are small, ellipsoidal, blunt, scales brown.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Lawn
- Recreational Play Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Children's Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Shade Tree
- Street Tree
- Attracts:
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Salt
- Wet Soil
