Siberian Elm
Siberian Elm
Ulmus pumila
Ulmaceae (Elm Family)
▲ seedlings
▲ immature tree that has likely been cut back a few times
▲ ▼ mature landscape trees, showing bark discoloration common from wetwood
▲ leaves
Location on campus: near northeast corner of Greenwood Lab School
Ulmus pumila: Siberian Elm
- leaves deciduous, alternate, simple, ovate, doubly serrate with pointed tip; dark green and smooth above, lighter underneath; leaves may fall green from tree in late fall
- stems slender, light gray, brittle, glabrous; buds are small, rounded, dark brown
- bark is gray-brown, deeply fissured with raised platey ridges; often discolored due to bleeding sap from wetwood disease; wood is weak and very prone to ice and wind breakage
- fruit is a round samara
- grows 50-70' tall and 2/3 to equally wide in open to rounded, often irregular after storm breakage, habit
- prefers full sun and is very soil tolerant; becomes an urban and suburban weed tree
- fast growth rate
- resistant to Dutch Elm disease
- is a medium-sized tree introduced from Eurasia as a replacement for American Elm when Dutch Elm disease killed many American Elms; Siberian elm is resistant to this disease
- commonly planted 30-50 years ago, now seedlings escape to germinate and grow in old pastures, open woods, disturbed urban areas (crack in concrete); may hybridize with native slippery elms
- many call this tree “Chinese elm," but true Chinese elm is a different, less invasive species (although some are saying true Chinese elm is invasive in certain locations as well)