Zelkova carpinifolia
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 Autumn foliage
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| Zelkova carpinifolia (Pall.) Dippel |
Zelkova carpinifolia (Zelkova or Caucasian Zelkova) is a species of Zelkova, native to the Caucasus, Kaçkar, and Alborz mountains in the extreme southeast of Europe and southwest Asia.
It is a medium-sized to large deciduous tree growing to 20-35 m tall, with a trunk of up to 2 m in diameter. The crown is a highly distinctive vase-shape, with a short broad trunk dividing low down into numerous nearly erect branches. The leaves are alternate, 4-10 cm long and 2.5-6 cm broad, the margin bluntly serrated with 7-12 teeth on each side. The flowers are inconspicuous and greenish, with no petals, and are wind-pollinated. The fruit is a small nutlet 5-6 mm in diameter.
It is grown as an ornamental tree in Europe, and more rarely in North America (where the related Japanese Z. serrata is more popular).
[edit] References
- Andrews, S. (1994). Tree of the year: Zelkova. Int. Dendrol. Soc. Yearbook 1993: 11-30.
- Hunt, D. (1994). Beware of the Zelkova. Int. Dendrol. Soc. Yearbook 1993: 33-41.
- Rushforth, K. (1999). Trees of Britain and Europe. HarperCollins ISBN 0-00-220013-9.
