Leaf with a lopsided base: elm, lime or mulberry?

12 species with this feature

1. 

   Elm Ulmus

   Broadleaf tree

   Alternate, oval with a pointed tip, double-toothed; one half of the leaf starts clearly lower on the stalk than the other. Often rough to the touch.

   Native

2. 

   Large-leaved lime Tilia platyphyllos

   Broadleaf tree

   Alternate, lopsided heart-shaped, 6–15 cm, finely toothed. Underside light green and softly hairy all over, with white tufts of hair in the vein axils.

   Native

3. 

   Small-leaved lime Tilia cordata

   Broadleaf tree

   Alternate, lopsided heart-shaped, 3–8 cm, finely toothed. Underside blue-green and hairless, with rusty-brown tufts of hair in the vein axils.

   Native

4. 

   Wych elm Ulmus glabra

   Broadleaf tree

   Alternate, 8–16 cm, broadly obovate with a long pointed tip, often with two extra side points; double-toothed. Upper side as rough as sandpaper. The larger half of the leaf covers the very short stalk (2–5 mm) with an ear lobe.

   Native

5. 

   Field elm Ulmus minor

   Broadleaf tree

   Alternate, 4–10 cm, oval to elliptic with a pointed tip, double-toothed; upper side smooth and glossy, underside with white tufts of hair in the vein axils. Very lopsided base; leaf stalk 5–15 mm.

   Native

6. 

   European white elm Ulmus laevis

   Broadleaf tree

   Alternate, 6–12 cm, oval with a very lopsided base, sharply double-toothed with forward-curving teeth; upper side fairly smooth, underside softly greyish-hairy. Leaf stalk 4–6 mm.

   Native

7. 

   Dutch elm Ulmus × hollandica

   Broadleaf tree

   Alternate, 7–12 cm, oval with a pointed tip and lopsided base, double-toothed; upper side smooth to somewhat rough, often glossy. Leaf stalk 5–10 mm.

   Native

8. 

   Common lime Tilia × europaea

   Broadleaf tree

   Alternate, 6–12 cm, lopsided heart-shaped, finely toothed; underside light green and largely hairless, with white to pale brown tufts of hair in the vein axils.

9. 

   Caucasian lime Tilia × euchlora

   Broadleaf tree

   Alternate, 5–10 cm, lopsided heart-shaped, finely and sharply toothed; glossy dark green above, paler below with brown tufts of hair in the vein axils.

10. 

    Black mulberry Morus nigra

    Fruit tree

    Alternate, 8–15 cm, broadly heart-shaped and often slightly lopsided at the base, with a coarsely toothed edge, sometimes lobed; upper side rough as sandpaper, underside hairy.

11. 

    Chinese elm Ulmus parvifolia

    Broadleaf tree

    Alternate, 2–5 cm, elliptic with a slightly lopsided base, singly scalloped, leathery and glossy dark green; stays on the tree for a long time in mild winters.

12. 

    Witch hazel Hamamelis

    Shrub

    Alternate, 8–15 cm, broadly oval with a lopsided base and a wavy, toothed margin; glorious yellow to orange-red autumn colour.

Continue in the identification key

• Trees › Look at the base of the leaf, where it joins the stalk. Clearly lopsided

Torn between two?

• Large-leaved lime or small-leaved lime
• Common lime or large-leaved lime
• Large-leaved lime or black mulberry
• Common lime or small-leaved lime
• Caucasian lime or small-leaved lime
• Field elm or wych elm
• European white elm or wych elm
• Dutch elm or wych elm
• European white elm or field elm
• Field elm or Dutch elm
• Chinese elm or field elm
• Common lime or Caucasian lime

Keep looking

Also identify by

• Pinnate leaves
• Lobed leaves (like an oak)
• Palmate leaves
• Heart-shaped leaves
• Opposite leaves
• Long, narrow leaves
• White or silver underside
• Spiny leaves

• All features
• Identify from a photo
• Identification key
• Side by side: species that look alike