Ulmus parvifolia

From Gardenology.org - Plant Encyclopedia and Gardening Wiki
(Redirected from Chinese elm)
Jump to navigationJump to search


Ulmus parvifolia3.jpg


Plant Characteristics
Habit   tree

Height: 70 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 70.
Width: 30 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 30.
Lifespan: perennial
Cultivation
Exposure: sun
USDA Zones: 5 to 10
Scientific Names

Ulmaceae >

Ulmus >

parvifolia >


Ulmus parvifolia, commonly known as the Chinese or Lacebark, Elm, is a species native to China, Japan, North Korea and Vietnam.[1]

A small to medium deciduous, semi-deciduous (rarely semi-evergreen) tree growing to 10-18 m tall with a slender trunk and crown. It has been described as "one of the most splendid elms, having the poise of a graceful Nothofagus".[2] . The leathery, lustrous green single-toothed leaves are small, 2 cm - 5 cm long by 1 cm -3 cm broad, and often retained as late as December or even January in Europe and North America. The apetalous wind-pollinated perfect flowers are produced in early autumn, small and inconspicuous. The fruit is a samara, elliptic to ovate-elliptic, 10 mm - 13 mm long by 6 mm - 8 mm broad [1]. The samara is mostly glabrous, the seed at the centre or toward the apex, borne on a stalk between 1 mm and 3 mm in length; it matures rapidly and disperses by late autumn. The trunk has a handsome, flaking bark of mottled greys with tans and reds, giving rise to its other common name, the Lacebark Elm, although scarring from major branch loss can lead to large canker-like wounds.[3][4][5][6]

The Chinese Elm is a tough landscape tree, hardy enough for use in harsh planting situations such as parking lots, in small planters along streets and in plazas or patios. Chinese Elms are frequently used in bonsai; they are considered a good choice for beginners owing to their high tolerance of pruning. Nurseries are widely available in North America, Europe, and Australasia.

The tree is arguably the most ubiquitous of the elms, now found in all the continents except Antarctica.


Read about Ulmus parvifolia in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture 

Ulmus parvifolia, Jacq. (U. chinensis, Pers.). Chinese Elm. Half-evergreen small tree or shrub, with spreading pubescent branches: lvs. ovate to obovate or oblong, very short-petioled and little unequal at base, acute or obtusish, subcoriaceous, simply serrate, glabrous and glossy above, pubescent beneath when young, usually glabrous at length, 3/4-2 in. long: fls. short-pedicelled, in clusters; stamens 4-5, much exserted: fr. oval to elliptic, notched at the apex, with the seed in the middle, 1/3 – 1/2 in. long. July-Sept. N. China, Japan. —Has proved hardy near Boston. The recently described U. Sieboldii, Daveau, and U. Shirasawana, Daveau, are probably only forms of this species; they are said to differ in their deciduous lvs. and the former besides by the persistent deeply fissured bark, exfoliating in the other two species and the larger fr. exceeding 1/2 in.; the latter differs in the crenate-dentate lvs. with 8-10 pairs of veins and in the contracted fr. CH


The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.


Cultivation

Propagation

Pests and diseases

The Chinese Elm is highly resistant, but not immune, to Dutch elm disease. It is also very resistant to the elm leaf beetle Xanthogaleruca luteola [1], but has a moderate susceptibility to Elm Yellows [7]. In trials at the Sunshine Nursery, Oklahoma, the species was adjudged as having the best pest resistance of about 200 taxa [8] However, foliage was regarded as only "somewhat resistant" to black spot by the Plant Diagnostic Clinic of the University of Missouri [2].

Varieties

Subspecies, varieties, and forms

Cultivars

Numerous cultivars have been raised, mostly in North America:

Hybrid cultivars

An autumn flowering species, whereas most other elms flower in spring, hybrids have accordingly been very few:

Gallery

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Fu, L., Xin, Y. & Whittemore, A. (2002). Ulmaceae, in Wu, Z. & Raven, P. (eds) Flora of China, Vol. 5 (Ulmaceae through Basellaceae). Science Press, Beijing, and Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis, USA.http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/PDF/PDF05/Ulmus.pdf Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Fu" defined multiple times with different content
  2. Hilliers' Manual of Trees & Shrubs, 4th edition, 1977, David & Charles, Newton Abbot, England
  3. Bean, W. J. (1981). Trees and shrubs hardy in Great Britain, 7th edition. Murray, London.
  4. White, J & More, D. (2003). Trees of Britain & Northern Europe. Cassell's, London.
  5. http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/uparvifolia.htm
  6. PLANTS Profile for Ulmus pumila (Siberian elm) | USDA PLANTS
  7. Mittempergher, L. & Santini, A. (2004). The History of Elm Breeding. Invest. Agrar.: Sist Recur For. 2004 13 (1), 161-177.
  8. http://www.greenbeam.com/rs/nm_pdfs/16338_013.pdf

External links