Side by side
Field elm or Japanese zelkova? How to tell them apart
Ulmus minor · Zelkova serrata
How to tell them apart – field elm: double-toothed leaf with a very lopsided base, and round, winged fruits; Japanese zelkova: elm-like tree with a vase-shaped crown, a leaf with regular, sharp teeth and smooth grey bark.
How do you recognise them?
- 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 Japanese zelkova: double-toothed leaf with a very lopsided base, and round, winged fruits.
- Japanese zelkova
- Elm-like tree with a vase-shaped crown, a leaf with regular, sharp teeth and smooth grey bark.
| Field elm | Japanese zelkova | |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | 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. | Alternate, 5–12 cm, elliptic with a long pointed tip, singly toothed with 8–14 pairs of regular, sharp teeth; base barely lopsided. Autumn colour yellow to orange-red. |
| Flowering | Clusters of small reddish flowers in March, before the leaves (March). | Inconspicuous greenish flowers in April, with the leaves (April). |
| Fruit | Round to obovate winged fruits 1–1.5 cm long, with the seed near the top, close to the notch. | Small, wingless drupes 4–5 mm across. |
| Bark | Grey-brown, furrowed lengthways into small blocks; young twigs and suckers often with conspicuous corky ridges. | Smooth and grey with lenticels, like a beech; on older trees flaking in patches with orange-brown blotches. |
| Shape and height | Broadleaf tree, 15–30 m, often a shrub in hedges | Broadleaf tree, 15–25 m |
| Site | Full sun, any garden soil, normal | Full sun, any garden soil, normal |
| Native to Belgium | Yes | No, planted |
| 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–March |
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 (15–30 m) and Japanese zelkova (15–25 m) both grow into large trees: too big for an ordinary garden, but fine in a large garden, a park or a meadow.
Read on
- Plant profile: Field elm
- Plant profile: Japanese zelkova
- Field elm: when and how to prune
- Japanese zelkova: when and how to prune
- Identification key
Also looks like
This comparison is compiled from the Bladwijzer species pages.