Scientific Name:
Zelkova serrata
Pronunciation:
ZEL-kov-uh sur-AY-tuh
Common Name:
Japanese zelkova
Family Name:
Ulmaceae
Plant Type:
Tree - deciduous
Key ID Features:
Leaves ovate to lanceolate, most blades up to 7-14cm long x 2-6cm wide, apex narrow, margins strongly serrate with fine narrow points, petioles 3-15mm long. Winter ID: twigs very slender, dark reddish-brown, buds alternate, broadly ovate, divergent.
Habit:
Arching, Spreading, Twiggy, Upright
Form:
Vase
Texture:
Medium - fine
Mature Height:
10 - 15m
Mature Spread:
7 - 10m
Growth Rate:
Fast
Origin:
S.E. Asia / Japan / China
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 5: (-29 to -23 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun, Part sun/part shade
Soil/Growing Medium:
Rocky or gravelly or dry, Well-drained
Water Use:
Low, Summer dry
Landscape Uses:
Fall interest, Screening, Shade tree, Specimen plant, Street (boulevard tree), Tall background, Wind break
Additional Info:
Google. Cultivar shown on campus: Z. 'Green Vase'. Cultivars in Vancouver include Z. 'Halka', Z. 'Village Green', and Z. 'Goshiki' (variegated).
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Simple
Arrangement:
Alternate
Texture/Venation:
Leathery, Heavily veined, Pinnate venation
Surfaces:
Pubescent
Colour in Fall:
Yellow, Orange, Purple, Red, Brown
Shapes:
Elliptic, Lanceolate, Ovate
Apices:
Acuminate, Caudate
Bases:
Rounded
Margins:
Ciliate, Serrate
Additional Info:
Spectacular fall colour
Inflorescence Type:
Flowers clustered
Flower Morphology:
Monoecious plant
Number Of Petals:
0
Ovary Position:
Superior
Colour (petals):
Not showy, Green
Flower Scent:
None
Flower Time at Peak:
Apr, May
Fruit Type:
Drupe
Fruit Colour:
Brown
Fruiting Time:
Sep, Oct
Additional Info:
Not showy, Triangular, about 3mm long
Bark Morphology:
Showy, Exfoliating, Smooth
Bark or Stem Colour:
Grey, Orange, Tan
Leaf Bud Type:
Conical (long-pointed), Ovoid
Leaf Scar Shape:
Crescent shaped
Organ Modifications:
Fibrous-like roots
Propagation:
Seed, Greenwood cuttings, Grafting
Maintenance:
Low
Pest Susceptibility:
Scale insects (Pest resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant)
