Ulmus minor
English elm, English Elm
(c) Eleftherios Katsillis, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Eleftherios Katsillis · licence
Family: Ulmaceae · Type: Tree · Not Native
Ulmus minor (English elm) is a non-native California tree in the Ulmaceae family, recognized by corky branch outgrowths, stalkless fruits, and largest fruit size.
English elm is a naturalized tree found in northern coastal interior California, Sierra Nevada foothills, Sacramento Valley, central coast, southwestern California, and desert regions in areas near old plantings at elevations of 10 to 1,000 meters. Flowering from February to March, this tree produces small clusters of flowers that emerge before its leaves in early spring. Growing to 40 meters tall with distinctive bark that splits into ridges or plates, it features branches with unique corky warts and winter buds that range from red-brown to nearly black. Its leaves are oblong or bluntly elliptical, 5.5 to 11.3 centimeters long with double-serrated margins and pubescent surfaces, particularly on the underside and veins. The tree produces broadly elliptical pale green fruits 1.7 to 2 centimeters long that are mostly glabrous except for pubescence near the stigmatic surface.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 3 sympatric species; distinguished by corky branch outgrowths, stalkless fruits, and largest fruit size
Habitat and range
Habitat: Spreading by root suckers near old plantings
Elevation: 10-1000 m
California counties: Los Angeles, Inyo, San Bernardino, San Diego, Contra Costa, Napa, Ventura, Placer, Butte, Alameda, Santa Barbara, Sonoma, Yolo, Solano, San Mateo, Monterey, Imperial, Sacramento
Outside California: native to Europe
Bloom period
Ulmus minor blooms Feb-Mar.
How to tell it apart
vs Quercus: Ulmus has flat papery-winged fruits; oaks produce acorns in cups.; vs Alnus: Ulmus has round papery-winged fruits; alder has woody cone-like fruits.; vs Populus: Ulmus fruits are round papery wafers; Populus has cottony seeds on wind.; vs Platanus: Ulmus has individual papery-winged fruits; Platanus has spiky balls hanging on strings.; vs Fraxinus: Ulmus fruits are round papery wafers; ash fruits are single-winged paddles.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ulmus minor native to California?
No. Ulmus minor is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Ulmus minor bloom?
Ulmus minor blooms Feb-Mar.
Where in California does Ulmus minor grow?
Ulmus minor occurs in Los Angeles, Inyo, San Bernardino, San Diego, Contra Costa, Napa, Ventura, Placer and other counties, at elevations of 10-1000 m.
What plant family does Ulmus minor belong to?
Ulmus minor is in the Ulmaceae family, genus Ulmus.
What habitat does Ulmus minor grow in?
Ulmus minor grows in Spreading by root suckers near old plantings.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.