lacebark elm (Ulmus parvifolia)

Species info:

Leaves: Alternate, simple, elliptic to ovate, ¾–2½ inches long. Margins singly serrated with an acute tip and rounded, unequal base. Dark green, leathery, and glossy in summer, turning red-purple in fall.

Leaflets: N/A (simple leaves).

Leaf Surface: Lustrous, smooth, and firm; slightly leathery texture.

Bark: Distinctive mottled pattern of gray, green, orange, and brown; exfoliating in irregular flakes to create a lace-like patchwork appearance.

Flowers: Inconspicuous; appear late summer to early fall.

Fruit: Small samaras, similar to those of Siberian elm but smaller and less abundant; drop in fall.

Botanical: Ulmus parvifolia

Family: Ulmaceae

Mature Height: 40–50 feet

Canopy Spread: 40–50 feet

Foliage Type: Deciduous

Tree Shape: Oval when open-grown; compact and rounded with age

Growth Rate: Moderate (≈1–1.5 feet per year under good conditions)

Fall Color: Red to purple

Water Use: Moderate; adaptable once established

Hardiness: Zone 5

Soil Preference: Tolerant of a wide range of soils, including heavier clays; prefers well-drained sites

Wildlife Value: Provides cover and shade; seeds eaten by small birds

Pests/Pathogens: Resistant to Dutch elm disease and elm leaf beetle; elm scale

Planting Recommendations: Not recommended due to lack of cold hardiness

Information Sources:

• Front Range Tree Recommendation List

• Michael Dirr, Manual of Woody Landscape Plants (University of Georgia, 1990)

• Michael Kuhns, Trees of Utah and the Intermountain West (Utah State University Press, 1998)