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Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila)

Description

Ulmus pumila, the Siberian elm, is a tree native to Central Asia, eastern Siberia, the Russian Far East, Mongolia, Tibet, northern China, India (northern Kashmir) and Korea. It is also known as the Asiatic elm and dwarf elm, but sometimes miscalled the 'Chinese Elm' (Ulmus parvifolia). It is the last tree species encountered in the semi-desert regions of central Asia. Described by Pallas in the 18th century from specimens from Transbaikal, Ulmus pumila has been widely cultivated throughout Asia, North America, Argentina, and southern Europe, becoming naturalized in many places, notably across much of the United States. The Siberian elm is usually a small to medium-sized, often bushy, tree growing to 10–20 m (35–65 ft) tall, with a trunk up to 176 cm (69 1⁄4 in) d.b.h. The leaves are deciduous in cold areas, but semi-evergreen in warmer climates, less than 7 cm (2 3⁄4 in) long and less than 3 cm (1 1⁄4 in) broad, with an oblique base and a coarsely serrated margin, changing from dark green to yellow in autumn. The perfect, apetalous wind-pollinated flowers bloom for one week in early spring, before the leaves emerge, in tight fascicles (bundles) on last year's branchlets. Each flower is about 3 mm (1⁄8 in) across and has a green calyx with 4–5 lobes, 4–8 stamens with brownish-red anthers, and a green pistil with a two-lobed style. Unlike most elms, the Siberian elm is able to self-pollinate successfully. The wind-dispersed fruit develops in a tan-colored flat, oval samara (seed with a membraneous wing around it) 1–2 cm (3⁄8–3⁄4 in) long by 1–1.5 cm (3⁄8–5⁄8 in) wide, notched at the outer end. The tree also suckers readily from its roots. The tree is short-lived in temperate climates, rarely reaching more than 60 years of age, but in its native environment may live to between 100 and 150 years. A giant specimen, 45 kilometres (28 mi) southeast of Khanbogt in the south Gobi, with a girth of 5.55 m in 2009 may exceed 250 years (based on average annual ring widths of other U. pumila in the area).

Taxonomic tree

  • Domain: Eukarya

    • Kingdom: Plantae

      • Phylum:

        • Class: Magnoliopsida

          • Order: Rosales

            • Family: Ulmaceae

              • Genus: Ulmus