Ulmus parvifolia

Ulmus parvifolia
Chinese Elm, Hilversum. Photo: Ronnie Nijboer, Bonte Hoek kwekerijen.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Rosales
Family:	Ulmaceae
Genus:	Ulmus
Species:	Ulmus parvifolia
Binomial name
Ulmus parvifolia Jacq.
Synonyms
Microptelea parvifolia Spach Planera parvifolia Sweet Ulmus campestris var. chinensis Loudon Ulmus chinensis Persoon Ulmus parvifolia Maxim., Franch. et Savatier, Forbes & Hemsl., Shirasawa Ulmus virgata Roxburgh

Ulmus parvifolia, commonly known as the Chinese Elm^[1] or Lacebark Elm, is a species native to China, Japan, North Korea and Vietnam.^[2] It has been described as "one of the most splendid elms, having the poise of a graceful Nothofagus".^[3]

Description

A small to medium deciduous, semi-deciduous (rarely semi-evergreen) tree growing to 10–18 m (30–60 ft) tall with a slender trunk and crown. The leathery, lustrous green single-toothed leaves are small, 2–5 cm long by 1–3 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, 10–13 mm long by 6–8 mm broad.^[2] The samara is mostly glabrous, the seed at the centre or toward the apex, borne on a stalk 1–3 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.^{[4][5][6][7][8]}

• 

  Ulmus parvifolia Juvenile.

• 

  Foliage and fruit

• 

  Bark

Taxonomy

Subspecies, varieties, and forms:

• Ulmus parvifolia var. coreana Nakai
• Ulmus parvifolia f. lanceolata Ueki

Ecology

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 [2], but has a moderate susceptibility to Elm Yellows.^[9] In trials at the Sunshine Nursery, Oklahoma, the species was adjudged as having the best pest resistance of about 200 taxa ^[10] However, foliage was regarded as only "somewhat resistant" to black spot by the Plant Diagnostic Clinic of the University of Missouri [3].

Cultivation

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. The tree is arguably the most ubiquitous of the elms, now found on all continents except Antarctica. It was introduced to Europe at the end of the 18th century as an ornamental, and is found in many botanical gardens and arboreta. In the United States, it appeared in the middle of the 19th century, and has proved very popular in recent years as a replacement for American Elms killed by Dutch elm disease. The tree was sold in Australia at the beginning of the 20th century by Searl's Garden Emporium, Sydney. In New Zealand, it was found to be particularly suitable for windswept locations along the coast.

U. parvifolia is one of the cold-hardiest of the Chinese species. In artificial freezing tests at the Morton Arboretum.^[11] the LT50 (temp. at which 50% of tissues die) was found to be −34 °C (−29 °F).

Bonsai

Owing to its versatility and ability to tolerate a wide range of temperatures, light, and humidity conditions, Chinese Elm is a popular choice as a bonsai species, and is perhaps the single most widely available. It is considered a good choice for beginners because of its high tolerance of pruning. ^[12].

• 

  Chinese Elm bonsai.

• 

  Chinese Elm Bonsai

Cultivars

Numerous cultivars have been raised, mostly in North America:

• A. Ross Central Park (Central Park Splendor), BSNUPF (Everclear), Burgundy, Burnley Select, Catlin, Chessins, Churchyard, Cork Bark, D.B.Cole, Drake, Dwarf Weeper, Dynasty, Ed Wood, Elsmo, Emer I or Emerald Isle (Athena), Emer II or Emerald Vase (Allee), Emerald Prairie, Frosty, Garden City Clone, Geisha, Glory, Golden Rey, Hallelujah, Hokkaido, Jade Empress, King's Choice, Littleleaf, Lois Hole, Matthew, Milliken, Nire-keyaki, Ohio, Orange Ribbon, Pathfinder, Pendens, Prairie Shade, Red Fall, Sabamiki, Sagei, Seiju, Select 380, Sempervirens, State Fair, Stone's Dwarf, Taiwan, The Thinker, Todd, UPMTF (Bosque), Ware's, Yarralumla (Yarralumla), Yatsubusa, Zettler (Heritage)

Hybrid cultivars

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

• Frontier

Accessions

North America

• Arnold Arboretum. Acc. nos. 1353-73, 17917, 195-90, 197-90.
• Bartlett Tree Experts. Acc. nos. 5546, 8109.
• Brenton Arboretum, Dallas Center, Iowa. No details available.
• Brooklyn Botanic Garden, New York. Acc. nos. 000880, 160001, 20020466, 850222, X00450, X00485, X02727, X02771.^[13]
• Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe, Illinois. 2 trees, no other details available.
• Dominion Arboretum, Ottawa, Canada. No acc. details.
• Fullerton Arboretum, California State University. Acc. no. 80-036.^[14]
• Holden Arboretum. Acc. nos. 57-1241, 80-665, 84-1214, 90-323.
• Longwood Gardens. Acc. nos. 1957-1058, 1959-1500, 1960-1138, 1991-0981.
• Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis. Acc. nos. 1986-0108, 1986-0276, 1986-0277, 1987-0019, 199-3195, 1996-3462.
• Morris Arboretum, University of Pennsylvania. Acc. no. 32-0052-A.^[15]
• Morton Arboretum. Acc. nos. 991-27, 772-54, 1231–57, 558-83, 52-96.
• New York Botanical Garden. Acc. nos. 195/56, 486/91, 68072.
• Phipps Conservatory. Acc. nos. 83-006, 83-058, 91-050, 2001-212UN.
• Scott Arboretum. Acc. nos. 62210, 71765, 71767, 71771, 75152, 64441.
• Smith College, acc. no. 42894.
• U S National Arboretum [4], Washington, D.C., USA. Acc. nos. 58000/1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8.

Europe

• Brighton & Hove City Council, UK, NCCPG Elm Collection.^[16]
• Cambridge Botanic Garden [5], University of Cambridge, UK. No accession details available.
• Dyffryn Gardens, Glamorgan. UK champion, 13 m high, 37 cm d.b.h., last surveyed 1997.^[17]
• Grange Farm Arboretum, Sutton St. James, Spalding, Lincolnshire, UK. Acc. no. 516.
• Hortus Botanicus Nationalis, Salaspils, Latvia. Acc. nos. 18150, 18151.
• Linnaean Gardens of Uppsala, Sweden. Acc. no. 2002-1542.
• Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Acc. nos. 1979-1613, 1979-1614, 1982-8479, 1982-8505, 1982-6280, 1982-6284, 2002-137, 2003-1267, 2005-1076.
• Royal Botanic Gardens Wakehurst Place. Acc. nos. 1969-33664, 1969-35133, 1973-21049, 1973-21525.
• Royal Horticultural Society Gardens, Wisley, UK. No details available.
• Strona Arboretum, University of Life Sciences, Warsaw, Poland. No accession details available.
• Tallinn Botanic Garden, Estonia [6]. No accession details available.
• Thenford House arboretum, Banbury, UK. No details available.
• University of Copenhagen Botanic Garden. Acc. nos. S1956-1338, S1997-1304.
• Westonbirt Arboretum, Tetbury, Glos., UK. Planted 1981. No acc. no.^[18]

Australasia

• Eastwoodhill Arboretum, Gisborne, New Zealand. 9 trees, details not known.^[19]

Seed suppliers

• B and T World Seeds, Paguignan, 34210 Aigues-Vives, France [7]
• Lawyer Nursery, Montana Highway, 6625 West Plains, MT., USA [8]
• Sandeman Seeds, 7 Route de Burosse, 64350 Lalongue, France [9]
• Sheffield's Seeds Co. Inc. [10], New York, USA.
• The Seed Shop, Broadhurstgreen, Hednesford, Staffordshire, United Kingdom, WS12 4LA [11]

Notes

1. ^ "PLANTS Profile for Ulmus parvifolia (Chinese elm)". Natural Resources Conservation Service. United States Department of Agriculture. http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ULPA. Retrieved 20 September 2011. 
2. ^ ^{a b} 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
3. ^ Hilliers' Manual of Trees & Shrubs, 4th edition, 1977, David & Charles, Newton Abbot, England
4. ^ Bean, W. J. (1981). Trees and shrubs hardy in Great Britain, 7th edition. Murray, London.
5. ^ White, J & More, D. (2003). Trees of Britain & Northern Europe. Cassell's, London.
6. ^ http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/uparvifolia.htm
7. ^ PLANTS Profile for Ulmus pumila (Siberian elm) | USDA PLANTS
8. ^ Ulmus parvifolia photographs and fact-page, Michigan State University Plant Encyclopedia [1]
9. ^ Mittempergher, L. & Santini, A. (2004). The History of Elm Breeding. Invest. Agrar.: Sist Recur For. 2004 13 (1), 161-177.
10. ^ http://www.greenbeam.com/rs/nm_pdfs/16338_013.pdf
11. ^ Shirazi, A. M. & Ware, G. H. (2004). Evaluation of New Elms from China for Cold Hardiness in Northern Latitudes. International Symposium on Asian Plant Diversity & Systematics 2004, Sakura, Japan.
12. ^ D'Cruz, Mark. "Ma-Ke Bonsai Care Guide for Ulmus parvifolia". Ma-Ke Bonsai. http://makebonsai.com/guide/bonsailink.asp?quicklink=5049&name=Ulmus_parvifolia. Retrieved 2011-5-9. 
13. ^ Brooklyn Botanic Garden: Plant Records
14. ^ Fullerton Arboretum
15. ^ The Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania
16. ^ Brighton & Hove City Council - national elm collection annual report
17. ^ Johnson, Owen (ed.) (2003). Champion Trees of Britain & Ireland. Whittet Press, ISBN 978-1-873580-61-5.
18. ^ Forestry Commission - The Forestry Commission - The National Arboreta
19. ^ Eastwoodhill | National Arboretum of New Zealand

References

• eFloras, Missouri Botanical Garden & Harvard University Herbaria (FOC Vol. 5 Page 9), Ulmus parvifolia, http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200006330, retrieved 2009 

External links

• http://bonsaisuperstore.storesecured.com/chinese-elm-care.asp

The Chinese Elm is a great bonsai for the beginner bonsai enthusiast.

• http://fletcher.ces.state.nc.us/programs/nursery/metria/metria11/warren/elm.htm

The Status of Elms in the Nursery Industry in 2000, by Warren, K., and Schmidt, J. Frank & Son Co. (2002).