Side by side
Chinese elm or field elm? How to tell them apart
Ulmus parvifolia · Ulmus minor
How to tell them apart – Chinese elm: small elm with a small, glossy, leathery leaf, flaking mottled bark and flowers in late summer; field elm: larger, double-toothed leaf with a very lopsided base, flowers in spring, before the leaves.
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How do you recognise them?
- Chinese elm
- Small elm with a small, glossy, leathery leaf, flaking mottled bark and flowers in late summer.
- Field elm
- Elm with a fairly small, smooth and glossy leaf with a very lopsided base; twigs often with corky ridges, many root suckers.
- Compared with Chinese elm: larger, double-toothed leaf with a very lopsided base; flowers in spring, before the leaves.
| Chinese elm | Field elm | |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | 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. | 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. |
| Flowering | Small, inconspicuous flowers in the leaf axils, in August–September (August–September). | Clusters of small reddish flowers in March, before the leaves (March). |
| Fruit | Small winged fruits about 1 cm long, ripe in October–November. | Round to obovate winged fruits 1–1.5 cm long, with the seed near the top, close to the notch. |
| Bark | Flakes off in small pieces, leaving a mosaic of grey, orange-brown and green, as in a plane tree. | Grey-brown, furrowed lengthways into small blocks; young twigs and suckers often with conspicuous corky ridges. |
| Shape and height | Broadleaf tree, 10–15 m | Broadleaf tree, 15–30 m, often a shrub in hedges |
| Site | Sun or partial shade, any garden soil, normal | Full sun, any garden soil, normal |
| Native to Belgium | No, planted | Yes |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | – | – |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Not known to be poisonous | Not known to be poisonous |
| Pruning months | November–February | November–February |
What does it mean for your garden?
- Field elm is native: it feeds more insects and birds than a non-native species. If in doubt, choose this one.
- Field elm grows 15–30 m tall: too big for an ordinary garden, but fine in a large garden, a park or a meadow.
Read on
- Plant profile: Chinese elm
- Plant profile: Field elm
- Chinese elm: when and how to prune
- Field elm: when and how to prune
- Identification key
Also looks like
- Chinese elm or Japanese zelkova
- European white elm or field elm
- Field elm or Dutch elm
- Field elm or Japanese zelkova
- Field elm or wych elm
- Field elm or field maple
Identify by feature
This comparison is compiled from the Bladwijzer species pages.