Ulmus pumilaSiberian Elm

Ulmus pumila, the Siberian Elm, is the shelterbelt tree of the dry Asian steppe: a fast deciduous elm of 15 to 25 metres with small serrated leaves, able to hold canopy in continental extremes of heat, cold and drought that eliminate most broadleaf species.

It accepts poor, dry, alkaline and compacted ground, which is why it is planted for windbreaks and roadside shade on sites where soil improvement is not an option.

Specifications

• Height15 to 25 metres
• Width10 to 15 metres
• Native toCentral and eastern Asia, from Siberia and Mongolia to northern China and Korea
• FoliageSmall elliptic serrated dark green leaves; deciduous
• Growth rateFast

Conditions

• SoilAdapts to poor, dry, alkaline and compacted soils
• LightFull sun
• WaterLow; drought-tolerant once established
• ClimateThrives in continental, arid and semi-arid regions with extremes of heat and cold

Additional Features

• FlowersInconspicuous green flowers in early spring, before the leaves
• UsesIdeal for shelterbelts, windbreaks, roadside shade and reclamation planting on difficult sites
• SpacingPlant 8 to 12 metres apart for canopy closure or 4 to 6 metres in a shelterbelt line
• Low MaintenanceNeeds formative pruning and periodic checking for storm-damaged wood
• Pest ResistanceShows good resistance to Dutch elm disease, though the timber is brittle in storms
• Drought ToleranceAmong the most drought-hardy shade trees in cultivation
• Frost ToleranceWithstands severe continental winters

The Siberian Elm is the reclamation and shelterbelt species of choice where conditions are too harsh for a more refined shade tree.