Unknown Species

Aaron the Great

Aaron the Great

Mame
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Location
Oklahoma City
USDA Zone
7a
Last year I ordered 2 crape myrtles from Arbor Day. Then they kept sending me emails that they were delayed in getting the crape myrtles because of the lockdown. I wasn't worried about it. With everything going on in the world at the time, 2 crepe myrtle-rooted cuttings just weren't near the top of the list. This spring I finally got the crepe myrtles, by this time I had forgotten all about them. I went and planted them in two pots that I had been saving for crepe myrtles since crepe myrtles are my favorite species to grow and train as bonsai. They both quickly produced some leaves and now they are growing pretty good. The only problem is I don't think that they are crepe myrtles because I have never seen them with serrated leaves like this. I'm thinking that these are some species of Elm. I don't think that they are American Elms as the leaves are about half the size appear to be much thinner than American Elm. Here are a couple of pics and if anyone could identify this species I would be grateful.
20210706_154644.jpg
20210706_154718.jpg
 
Really? How lucky I am. I have tried for years to get a Chinese Elm to grow from seeds and cuttings with no luck at all and I finally just gave up trying last year. Now thanks to a simple mistake that someone made in shipping, I now have two healthy trees!
 
the leaves appear to my crappy eyes to be single toothed, but they seem long for chinese elm, they also seem a little big. The bark also seems a little off. Gun to my head and had to guess .. I'd say siberian elm. I have no clue why the arbor day foundation would send you an invasive weed tree but you'll know soon. The bark on siberian is the easiest way to identify IMO and yours will be thick enough to know soon. Again it's a little early to say right now, but if it gives you any confidence, 75% of my collection is chinese elm, I can usually spot them a mile away
 
PA_Penjing said:
the leaves appear to my crappy eyes to be single toothed, but they seem long for chinese elm, they also seem a little big. The bark also seems a little off. Gun to my head and had to guess .. I'd say siberian elm. I have no clue why the arbor day foundation would send you an invasive weed tree but you'll know soon. The bark on siberian is the easiest way to identify IMO and yours will be thick enough to know soon. Again it's a little early to say right now, but if it gives you any confidence, 75% of my collection is chinese elm, I can usually spot them a mile away
Click to expand...
Looking at pics online of each species, I can see your point of them being Siberian elm. Oh well, I guess I thought I got lucky. Thanks for the help.
 
Aaron S. said:
Looking at pics online of each species, I can see your point of them being Siberian elm. Oh well, I guess I thought I got lucky. Thanks for the help.
Click to expand...
Just realizing I kind of shit on your tree calling an invasive weed. There are many very impressive examples of siberian elm bonsai, and even some good articles around on how to manage them (pretty much exactly like chinese elm). I hear it over and over that they are inferior to chinese elm but I have never tried myself. Those who use them seem to enjoy the tree, don't let anyone without firsthand experience take wind out of your sails. My bad, if I did that.. definitely give it a whirl. I actually plan to collect a few myself in the spring, 'cause why not.

And now as I try to think back . .. . arbor day offers chinese elm for sale but not siberian. So maybe just don't listen to me at all. I highly doubt they misidentified it
 
PA_Penjing said:
Just realizing I kind of shit on your tree calling an invasive weed. There are many very impressive examples of siberian elm bonsai, and even some good articles around on how to manage them (pretty much exactly like chinese elm). I hear it over and over that they are inferior to chinese elm but I have never tried myself. Those who use them seem to enjoy the tree, don't let anyone without firsthand experience take wind out of your sails. My bad, if I did that.. definitely give it a whirl. I actually plan to collect a few myself in the spring, 'cause why not.

And now as I try to think back . .. . arbor day offers chinese elm for sale but not siberian. So maybe just don't listen to me at all. I highly doubt they misidentified it
Click to expand...
They sent them to me identified as crepe myrtles lol
 
Aaron S. said:
They sent them to me identified as crepe myrtles lol
Click to expand...
if you let them know, they might send you what you intended and let you keep the elms. if not, fair to complain about effort to ship the current ones back. tell them youll leave them a bad google review otherwise, or oblige and and ask for a credit tree for your troubles

sucks to suck. not you. but it was your hard earned money - they can get your order correct
 
I find it odd they'd send you an invasive tree from The Arbor Day Foundation.

Does seem like a Siberian Elm, but I don't know Cedar Elm, which would be more Arbor Dayey.

Sorce
 
Arbor Day does sell Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia) although they call it Lacebark.
 
Definitely elms. Hard to distinguish between some species of elms just by juvenile leaves. However I agree with the general sentiment that is seems unusual that Arbor Day would send anyone two seedlings of an invasive tree species (Siberian elm) that they don't even list as a species they grow. I think it is likely that they are Chinese elms (aka lacebark elm), but you will know for certain once they get a little larger. One thing for certain they are not American elms :)
 
I'm going to hope that they are Chinese Elm's simply because I have been wanting Chinese Elms for a very long time. I have tried to grow some from seeds and cuttings with no luck. Whatever they are I have two of them, so I will start collecting pics of Chinese Elm bonsai trees for inspiration.
 
My addiction to Chinese elm is largely driven by the fact they can be used in so many styles. You can lean into anything the tree gives you (in older material) and fix any "flaw" on this species. The collected specimens from China are mind blowing, but growing your own is a much faster process than any pine, juniper and JM. all around fun
 
Aaron S. said:
Last year I ordered 2 crape myrtles from Arbor Day. Then they kept sending me emails that they were delayed in getting the crape myrtles because of the lockdown. I wasn't worried about it. With everything going on in the world at the time, 2 crepe myrtle-rooted cuttings just weren't near the top of the list. This spring I finally got the crepe myrtles, by this time I had forgotten all about them. I went and planted them in two pots that I had been saving for crepe myrtles since crepe myrtles are my favorite species to grow and train as bonsai. They both quickly produced some leaves and now they are growing pretty good. The only problem is I don't think that they are crepe myrtles because I have never seen them with serrated leaves like this. I'm thinking that these are some species of Elm. I don't think that they are American Elms as the leaves are about half the size appear to be much thinner than American Elm. Here are a couple of pics and if anyone could identify this species I would be grateful.
View attachment 385031
View attachment 385032
Click to expand...
I got two of the same trees listed as crepe myrtles from Arbor Day this past spring too. Looks like they need to learn their tree species again 😂
 
20210706_154644-jpg.385031



IMHO it is most probably Ulmus parvifolia "standard" or chinese elm aka lace bark elm. May it be a young U. parvifolia var nirekeyaki; only time will say if it develops corky bark.

I have some elms, and the leaves and the bark are cleary distinctive. It's not a siberian elm (Ulmus pumila) for sure.


Cheers.
 
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