Chinese Elm, Lacebark Elm

Chinese elm; lacebark elm
Ulmus parvifolia Jacq.
(Ulmaceae)

Ulmus parvifolia is a large tree that is native to China and Japan. Though at present, U. parvifolia is not known to be spontaneous in the Arkansas flora, it is included in the list of spontaneous plants because it is spontaneous or naturalized in Oklahoma and Louisiana (both states are adjacent to Arkansas), and because it is cultivated and does produce fruit in Arkansas. This species should be expected in the Arkansas flora. Ulmus parvifolia can be distinguished from the native species of Ulmus by its leaves that are generally only serrate and have the two sides of the blade essentially equal or subequal at the base (the native Ulmus species have leaves that are biserrate/doubly serrate and oblique at the base). Ulmus parvifolia is, however, similar to another non-native species of Ulmus that is naturalized in Arkansas, Ulmus pumila (Siberian elm). Ulmus parvifolia can be distinguished from U. pumila by its pubescent young branches, smaller leaves, fall flowering and fruiting period, and by its exfoliating older bark. Contrastingly, Ulmus pumila has young branches that are pubescent early, but quickly become glabrous, larger leaves, a spring flowering and fruiting period, and dark, deeply ridged and furrowed bark that does not exfoliate.


Figures for Ulmus parvifolia:

A-B. leaves;
C-D. flowers/young fruits;
E-G. fruits;
H-I. exfoliating bark;
J-L. spontaneous seedlings and juvenile plants.