Ulmus parvifolia

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

Description

A small to medium-sized 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". . 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 . 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.

Taxonomy

Subspecies, varieties, and forms

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

Cultivars

Numerous cultivars have been raised, mostly in North America: A. Ross Central Park (<tt>Central Park Splendor</tt>), BSNUPF (<tt>Everclear</tt>), Burgundy, Burnley Select, Catlin, Chessins, Churchyard, Cork Bark, D.B.Cole, Drake, Dwarf Weeper, Dynasty, Ed Wood, Elsmo, Emer I or Emerald Isle (<tt>Athena</tt>), Emer II or Emerald Vase (<tt>Allee</tt>), Emerald Prairie, Frosty, Garden City Clone, Geisha, Glory, Golden Rey, Hallelujah, Harzam (<tt>Harrison</tt>), 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 (<tt>Bosque</tt>), Ware's, Yarralumla (<tt>Yarralumla</tt>),Yatsubusa, Zettler (<tt>Heritage</tt>)

Hybrid cultivars

An autumn flowering species, whereas most other elms flower in spring, hybrids have accordingly been very few: Frontier
Also U. '240' (U. minor var. minor × U. parvifolia) raised at Wageningen but never commercially released; a few specimens survive as part of the Brighton & Hove CC NCCPG Elm Collection at Stanmer Park, planted in 1965.

Distribution and habitat

The tree has become invasive, notably in southern Africa, and is known as one of the 'Nasty Nine' in Namibia, where it was planted as a street tree in Windhoek. The Chinese Elm has also shown invasive species tendencies in some gardens in North America and South-Eastern Queensland, Australia.

Ecology

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 [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Xanthogaleruca_luteola], but has a moderate susceptibility to Elm Yellows . In trials at the Sunshine Nursery, Oklahoma, the species was adjudged as having the best pest resistance of about 200 taxa However, foliage was regarded as only "somewhat resistant" to black spot by the Plant Diagnostic Clinic of the University of Missouri [http://soilplantlab.missouri.edu/plant/diseases/resistant.htm].

Uses

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. 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. 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. the LT50 (temp. at which 50% of tissues die) was found to be - 34 °C.

Culture

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.
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.
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.
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 and Botanic Gardens, acc. no. 99/0542
Scott Arboretum, acc. nos. 83-006, 83-058, 91-050, 2001-212UN.
Smith College, acc. no. 42894.
U S National Arboretum [http://www.usna.usda.gov/index.htm], Washington, D.C., USA. Acc. nos. 58000/1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8, 62210, 71765, 71767, 71771, 75152, 64441.
Europe
Brighton & Hove City Council, UK, NCCPG Elm Collection.
Cambridge Botanic Garden [http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk/], University of Cambridge, UK, no accession details available.
Dyffryn Gardens, Glamorgan, UK champion, 13 m high, 37 cm d.b.h., last surveyed 1997 .
Grange Farm, 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.
Tallinn Botanic Garden, Estonia [http://www.tba.ee/index.php?lang=eng], 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.).
Australasia
Eastwoodhill Arboretum, Gisborne, New Zealand, 9 trees, details not known.

Translation of "Ulmus parvifolia"

German: Chinesische Ulme, French: Orme de Chine, Korean: 참느릅나무, Japanese: アキニレ, Chinese: 榔榆, Swedish: Kinesisk alm.