All elm trees have a simple identifying feature: the leaf bases are one-sided, or asymmetrical. Don picked a leaf from a Chinese weeping elm and examined its base. One side was wedge-shaped (cuneate) and the other rounded (obtuse).
This beautiful evergreen or partly deciduous tree has a weeping habit, and grows about 12-15m (36 x 45’) tall and 10m (30’) wide. The leaves are dark green and shiny, with an unequal base. The grey/brown bark is shed in irregular patches, exposing blotches of orange, grey, green and brown. Flowers appear between late March and June, followed by green winged seeds that ripen to brown in autumn.
