Ulmus pumila L.

Trees, to 25 m tall, d.b.h. to 1 m, deciduous. Bark dark gray, irregularly longitudinally fissured. Branchlets yellowish gray, glabrous or pubescent, unwinged and without a corky layer, with scattered lenticels. Winter buds dark brown to red-brown, ± globose to ovoid; inner bud scale margin usually white ciliate. Petiole 4-10 mm, pubescent; leaf blade elliptic-ovate to elliptic-lanceolate, 2-8 × 1.2-3.5 cm, abaxially pubescent when young but glabrescent or with tufts of hairs in vein axils or sometimes a few hairs on midvein and in forks of secondary veins, adaxially glabrous, base obliquely to symmetrically obtuse to rounded, margin simply or sometimes doubly serrate, apex acute to acuminate; secondary veins 9-16 on each side of midvein. Inflorescences fascicled cymes on second year branchlets, appearing before leaves. Perianth 4-lobed, margin ciliate. Samaras whitish tan, ± orbicular to rarely broadly obovate or elliptical, 1-2 × 1-1.5 cm, glabrous except for pubescence on stigmatic surface; stalk 1-2 mm; perianth persistent. Seed at center of samara or occasionally slightly toward apex but not reaching the apical notch. Fl. and fr. Mar-May. 2n = 28.

It is a temperate climate plant. It is native to C. and E. Asia. It grows on sandy or stony soil. It will grow on most soils and under poor conditions. It is hardy and drought resistant. It does not get Dutch Elm disease. In China it grows between 1,000-2,500 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 3-9. In Yunnan.

The seeds are collected and boiled with sugar and flour to make elm-seed cake. The leaves, bark and fruit are eaten in times of food shortage. The fruit are made into sauce and wine. The young fruit that attain mature size are cleaned, mixed with flour, steamed and then seasoned with salt, sesame oil, onion and garlic. The young leaves and buds are eaten. The bark is processed into noodles.

It can be grown by seeds or root sprouts. Seeds germinate easily.