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Summary

Bloom Color: Green. Main Bloom Time: Early fall, Late fall, Mid fall. Form: Rounded, Vase.

Physical Characteristics

Ulmus parvifolia is a deciduous Tree growing to 18 m (59ft) by 18 m (59ft) at a medium rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in leaf from March to January, in flower from September to October, and the seeds ripen from October to November. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Wind.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

U. chinensis.

Plant Habitats

Woodland Garden Canopy;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit Inner bark Leaves
Edible Uses:

Leaves - raw or cooked[105, 177]. Immature fruits, used just after they are formed - raw or cooked[105, 132]. An aromatic, unusual flavour, leaving the mouth feeling fresh and the breath smelling pleasant[132]. It contains about 34.4% protein, 28.2% fat, 17% carbohydrate, 5% ash[132]. Inner bark - cooked. A mucilaginous texture[105, 177]. No more details are given but inner bark is often dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickening in soups etc or mixed with cereals when making bread[K].

References More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

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Antidote Demulcent Diuretic Expectorant Febrifuge Hypnotic Lithontripic

The leaves are antidote and lithontripic[218]. The stem bark is demulcent, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge, hypnotic and lithontripic[178, 218]. The flowers are used in the treatment of fevers and neuritis[218].

References More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Shelterbelt Wood

Fairly resistant to maritime exposure, it can be grown in a shelter belt[K].

Special Uses

References More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Landscape Uses:Aggressive surface roots possible, Pollard, Specimen, Street tree. Easily grown in any soil of at least moderate quality so long as it is well drained[1]. Fairly tolerant of maritime exposure, it succeeds outdoors in a very exposed position at Rosewarne in N. Cornwall[K]. Resistant to 'Dutch elm disease', a disease that has destroyed the greater part of all the elm trees growing in Britain. The disease is spread by a beetle. There is no effective cure (1992) for the problem, but most E. Asian, though not Himalayan, species are resistant (though not immune) to the disease so the potential exists to use these resistant species to develop new resistant hybrids with the native species[200]. The various species hybridize freely, the pollen stores well and can be kept for use with species that flower at different times[200]. Trees retain their leaves until early in the new year[11] and in areas with mild winters will often retain them until new leaves are formed in the spring[188]. A good companion for grapes[18]. There are some named forms, developed for their ornamental value. 'Frosty' and 'Geisha' are small bushes whilst 'Pumila' is a minute bush for the rock garden. Special Features: Not North American native, Inconspicuous flowers or blooms.

References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

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Plant Propagation

Seed - if sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe, it usually germinates within a few days[200]. Stored seed does not germinate so well and should be sown in early spring[200]. One to two months stratification can improve germination rates. The seed can also be harvested 'green' (when it has fully developed but before it dries on the tree) and sown immediately in a cold frame. It should germinate very quickly and will produce a larger plant by the end of the growing season[80]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Plants should not be allowed to grow for more than two years in a nursery bed since they form a tap root and will then move badly. Layering of suckers or coppiced shoots[200].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

TEMPERATE ASIA: China (Anhui Sheng, Zhejiang Sheng, Fujian Sheng, Henan Sheng, Hebei Sheng, Hunan Sheng, Hubei Sheng, Jiangxi Sheng, Jiangsu Sheng, Guangdong Sheng, Guizhou Sheng, Shanxi Sheng, Shandong Sheng, Shaanxi Sheng, Sichuan Sheng, Guangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu), Japan (Honshu, Kyushu, Ryukyu Islands), Korea, North, Taiwan TROPICAL ASIA: Vietnam

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so itâ€™s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants

Latin Name	Common Name	Habit	Height	Hardiness	Growth	Soil	Shade	Moisture	Edible	Medicinal	Other
Ulmus alata	Winged Elm	Tree	15.0	6-9	F	LMH	SN	M	2	0	2
Ulmus americana	American Elm, Gray Elm, Water Elm	Tree	25.0	3-9	M	LMH	SN	M	2	2	3
Ulmus davidiana	Japanese Elm	Tree	15.0	4-8		LMH	SN	M	2	0	1
Ulmus glabra	Wych Elm, Table-top Scotch Elm, Scotch Elm	Tree	30.0	5-7	F	LMH	SN	M	3	2	2
Ulmus japonica	Japanese Elm	Tree	35.0	4-8		LMH	SN	M	2	1	1
Ulmus laciniata		Tree	10.0	4-8		LMH	SN	M	2	0
Ulmus macrocarpa		Tree	10.0	4-8		LMH	SN	DM	2	1	1
Ulmus procera	English Elm	Tree	35.0	5-9	F	LMH	SN	M	3	2	3
Ulmus pumila	Siberian Elm, Hybrid elm	Tree	15.0	4-9	F	LMH	SN	DM	2	2	3
Ulmus rubra	Slippery Elm	Tree	20.0	3-7	M	LMH	SN	M	2	5	3
Ulmus thomasii	Rock Elm	Tree	30.0	-	S	LMH	SN	M	1	0	2
Ulmus villosa	Cherry Bark Elm	Tree	25.0	4-8		LMH	SN	M	1	0	2
Ulmus wallichiana		Tree	35.0	5-9		LMH	SN	M	1	1	3

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

Expert comment

Author

Jacq.

Botanical References

11200266

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment


	Wed Apr 21 17:35:17 2004

Trees, to 25 m tall, d.b.h. to 100 cm, deciduous. Crown broadly orbicular. Bark gray to grayish brown, Â± smooth, exfoliating into irregular scale-like flakes. Branchlets dark brown, densely pubescent when young, never winged. Winter buds reddish brown, ovoid-orbicular, glabrous. Petiole 2-6 mm, pubescent; leaf blade lanceolate-ovate to narrowly elliptic, lamina on two sides of midvein unequal in length and width, 2.5-5 Ã— 1-2 cm, thick, abaxially pea green and pubescent when young, adaxially dark green, lustrous, and pubescent only on midvein, base oblique, margin obtusely and irregularly simply serrate, apex acute to obtuse; midvein depressed; secondary veins 10-15 on each side of midvein. Inflorescences fascicled cymes, 3-6-flowered. Pedicel very short, pubescent. Perianth funnelform; tepals 4. Samaras tan to brown, occasionally dark red-brown, elliptic to ovate-elliptic, 10-13 Ã— 6-8 mm, glabrous except for pubescence on stigmatic surface in notch; stalk 1-3 mm, shorter than perianth, sparsely pubescent; perianth persistent or tardily deciduous. Seed at center or toward apex of samara. Fl. and fr. Aug-Oct. 2n = 28.

Below 800 m. Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Zhejiang [India, Japan, N Korea, Vietnam].

Ulmus parvifolia - Jacq.