 Ulmus parvifolia 'Seiju'
(Compact Chinese Elm)
Botanical Name: Ulmus parvifolia 'Seiju'
Common Name:
Compact Chinese Elm
Plant Hardiness:
Zone 5
Flower:
Bloom Time:
Foliage:
Small, dark green leaves turn bright yellow in the fall.
Fruit:
Habit:
Good size upright mounding shrub that is densely branched with a herringbone structure.
Size:
6 to 9 feet tall
Sun Exposure:
Full Sun Partial Sun
Native Habitat:
Asia
Other Features:
The trunk matures with a deeply fissured corky bark. This plant can be kept smaller with pruning or if grown in a container.
Description: ‘Seiju’ is a branch sport of Ulmus parv. ‘Hokkaido’ but grows much more rapidly. I had one growing by our back porch that reached a size of 3 feet by 2 feet in three to four years. It responded well to my pruning, but became impossible to keep in this location. It still presents a very fascinating well branched little shrub. It has tiny leaves, although not as small as those on ‘Hokkaido’. It has a herringbone-type branch structure. The trunk of this plant has a cork bark, but this is rather hard to see, especially in the summer, as the plant is so heavily branched. Once again, the avid gardener could have a lot of fun with this plant either keeping it as a mounded shrub or thinning it out to give it a more open structure. Although it has very small leaves and thin branches, it still does not give a delicate appearance. As with many other plants, it is hard to describe but I find it extremely fascinating.
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