Ulmus villosa aka Cherry Bark Elm

Ulmus villosa is a deciduous tree in the elm family, Ulmaceae. Its common names include cherry bark elm and marn elm. Its native range runs from northern Pakistan to the western Himalayas. Records include Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir in India. It grows in a temperate climate. In the Himalayas, it occurs up to 11,483 feet [3,500 metres]. It is not native to Britain or Ireland.

This elm can reach about 82 feet [25 metres] tall. The supplied sources give no separate size range for garden trees. They also give no mature spread for this species. It sheds its leaves and suits the canopy of a woodland garden. Its scale makes it a tree for sites with ample space. The species flowers from April to May. Each flower has both male and female organs. Wind carries the pollen. The supplied species records do not describe its bark or fruit.

For cultivation, choose fertile soil and a site in full sun. The tree also accepts light shade. It can grow in sand, loam, or clay. Soil need not be rich, but it should have moderate fertility. Good drainage matters, and the tree prefers moist ground. It accepts mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline soils. Plants For A Future lists USDA zones 4–8. It also describes the species as hardy and not frost tender.

Dutch elm disease is a key concern for this species. Beetles spread the disease, and Plants For A Future lists this elm as susceptible. That risk should inform its use as a landscape tree. For propagation, sow ripe seed promptly in a cold frame. Fresh seed may sprout within a few days. Stored seed germinates less well; sow it in early spring. Grow young seedlings in separate pots under glass through their first winter. Plant them out after the last expected frost.

The leaves have a recorded food use, either raw or cooked. Plants For A Future gives the tree a low edible-use rating. It reports no known hazards, but this is not a full safety assessment. The same source records no medicinal use. Its hard wood has a slight scent and serves for furniture. The source does not flag the species as weedy.