Species

About Species in Alberta

Chinese elm is an introduced ornamental elm, not a native Alberta tree, and current evidence supports it as a rare, climate-limited planting species rather than a routine prairie elm. It is best recognized by its mottled exfoliating bark, small glossy leaves, and unusual late-season flowering and fall-ripening samaras. For ARA, its main significance in Alberta would come from rare long-lived planted specimens in sheltered urban, institutional, arboretum, or collector settings rather than from wild occurrence.

Identification: Leaves are simple, alternate, small, elliptic to ovate-obovate, and usually about 4 to 5 cm long. They are dark green, glossy, and smooth above, paler below, and mostly singly serrate, though some double serration can occur. In Alberta terms, the foliage usually looks smaller, glossier, and more leathery than that of Siberian elm or American elm.

Alberta range and habitat: No wild Alberta distribution was confirmed. Chinese elm should not be treated as part of Alberta's native wild tree flora.