Zelkova serrata seeds

Habitat

native to Japan
zone 5
Habit and Form

a medium-sized deciduous tree
50′ to 70′ tall
rounded and broad crown when mature
young tree more or less vase-shaped
main branching starts low creating a short trunk

Summer Foliage

alternately arranged deciduous leaves
simple leaves
margins toothed
elliptical shape
acuminate leaf tip
1.25″ to 3″ long
0.75″ to 1.5″ wide
dark green color

Autumn Foliage

fall color is variable
a mix or yellow, russet, bronze, dark red and purple
can be quite showy on good specimens

Flowers

not ornamental
blooms in April
Fruit

a small drupe
not ornamentally important
Bark

attractive
exfoliates in patches exposing orangish inner bark
young bark is smooth with prominent lenticels
base bark color is steel gray

Culture

full sun
prefers well-drained, moist, deep, fertile soil
relatively tolerant of drought and pollution once established
tolerant of a range of soils pHs
easy to transplant and establish
needs room to develop wide crown
Landscape Use

lawn tree
urban areas
possibly a street tree
parks and campuses
for attractive bark characteristics
for vase-shape

Liabilities

twig dieback due to lack of cold hardiness
Japanese beetle feeding on foliage
shows fairly good resistance to Dutch Elm Disease and bacterial canker, but not immune
ID Features

short main trunk and low branching
vase-shaped habit
slender twigs with small dark, conical buds in a zigzag pattern
smooth bark with lenticels or exfoliating in patches to reveal orange inner bark
Propagation

by cuttings or bud-graftings
by seed
Cultivars/Varieties

‘Goshiki’ – This variegated form features leaves splashed or dusted with creamy white. The plant is sometimes offered by specialty nurseries and grows fairly well. ‘Variegata’ features a white rim around the leaves, but it’s a weak grower.

‘Green Vase’- This popular form is a fast grower to 70′ tall with a width of 35′ to 40′. It maintains a vase-shape with upright arching branches. It is taller and less broad than ‘Village Green’ at maturity, plus it grows more quickly. The fall color is bronze-red. It is widely considered the best selection.

‘Halka’ – This is one of the more popular forms, but it lacks the merit of ‘Village Green’ or ‘Green Vase’. It reaches 50′ tall with a spread of 30′, but the habit is more open and loose. It lacks the dense uniformity of the other two cultivars, plus the yellow fall color does not rival their display.

‘Spring Grove’ – A potential rival for ‘Village Green’, this selection is yet to see mass production. It exhibits a distinct vase shape with tight branching. It is also ornamentally superior for its dark green leaves, red fall color and attractive peeling bark. The plant has the potential to grow 80′ tall with a spread of 60′.

‘Village Green’ -A common plant in commerce, this form develops a straight, clean trunk and reaches 50′ to 60′ tall. The canopy is quite wide and dense with dark green leaves, while the fall color is rusty red. It expresses good disease and insect resistance with excellent cold hardiness. It grows quickly and vigorously as a young plant.