Zelkova, Japanese
Zelkova serrata
Ulmaceae - Elm

Description

Leaves: Alternate; simple; ovate to oblong-ovate; 1" to 5" long and 1" to 2" wide; deciduous; sharply serrate margin; acuminate apex; fairly even, rounded base; dark green and rough above; 8 to 14 vein pairs; glabrous beneath; very short petiole.

Twigs/buds: Twigs slender; zig-zag; pubescent when young, glabrous later; brown. No terminal bud; lateral buds 1/4" long, ovoid, angled out from twig, with many brown, overlapping scales.

Flowers/fruit: Polygamo-monoecious. Flowers inconspicuous, appearing in spring. Fruit a small, fairly firm, dry drupe; 1/4" or less in diameter; green to brown; ripens in fall.

Bark: Smooth and gray when young with horizontal ridges or lenticels; becomes more lacy like Chinese elm bark when older; distinctive.

Wood: No information available.

General: Native to Japan and parts of Asia. Intermediate shade tolerance.

Landscape Use: The vase-shaped canopy and medium size of this tree make it a possible replacement for American elms, though I think it is somewhat coarse. Quite tolerant of drought and high soil pH. Interesting bark and yellow-orange to red fall color. Tends to have poorly attached branches due to included bark. Zones 5-8.

Cultivars: 'City Sprite', 'Goshiki', 'Green Vase', 'Halka', 'Musashino', 'Schmidtlow', 'Spring Grove', 'Variegata', 'Village Green'.

Characteristics