Quercus

Chinese Elm

Ulmus parvifolia

Not native to Kentucky

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  • Slippery Elm
    Ulmus rubra

    Similar growth form, height, spread

    Different: bloom season

  • Winged Elm
    Ulmus alata

    Similar growth form, height, spread

    Different: bloom season

  • Kentucky Yellowwood
    Cladrastis kentukea

    Similar growth form, height, spread

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Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

175CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including KY

Genus host records with ranges including KY · Ulmus

  • Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
  • Nymphalis antiopaMourning Cloak
  • Polygonia interrogationisQuestion Mark
  • Acharia stimuleaSaddleback Caterpillar Moth
  • Achatia distinctaDistinct Quaker
  • Acrobasis indigenellaLeaf Crumpler
  • Acronicta americanaAmerican Dagger
  • Acronicta funeralisFunerary Dagger, Paddle Caterpillar
  • Acronicta impletaYellow-Haired Dagger
  • Acronicta impressaImpressive Dagger, Printed Dagger
Show all 175
  • Acronicta interruptaInterrupted Dagger
  • Acronicta morulaOchre Dagger
  • Acronicta oblinitaSmeared Dagger
  • Acronicta spinigeraNondescript Dagger
  • Acronicta vinnulaDelightful Dagger, Ashy Dagger
  • Actias lunaLuna Moth
  • Adoneta spinuloidesPurple-Crested Slug
  • Aethalura intertextaFour-Barred Gray
  • Alsophila pometariaFall Cankerworm Moth
  • Amorbia humerosanaWhite-Lined Leafroller Moth
  • Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
  • Anarta trifoliiThe Nutmeg, Clover Cutworm
  • Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
  • Ancylosis undulatellaSugarbeet Crown Borer
  • Antaeotricha leucillanaWell-Marked Leaf Tier, Pale Gray Bird-Dropping Moth
  • Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
  • Argyrotaenia marianaGray-Banded Leafroller Moth
  • Argyrotaenia velutinanaRed-Banded Leafroller Moth, Jack Pine Tube Moth
  • Automeris ioIo Moth
  • Besma quercivorariaOak Besma
  • Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper
  • Callima argenticinctellaOrange-Headed Epicallima
  • Campaea perlataPale Beauty, Fringed Looper
  • Canarsia ulmiarrosorellaElm Leaftier Moth
  • Catocala clintoniiClinton's Underwing
  • Cecrita biundataWavy-Lined Heterocampa
  • Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
  • Cenopis pettitanaMaple-Basswood Leafroller Moth
  • Ceratomia amyntorElm Sphinx
  • Charadra deridensThe Laugher
  • Choristoneura fractivittanaBroken-Banded Leafroller, Lined Corn-Borer Moth
  • Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
  • Clepsis persicanaWhite Triangle Tortrix
  • Clostera inclusaAngle-Lined Prominent, Poplar Tent Maker, Poplar Leaf-Tier
  • Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
  • Colocasia propinquilineaClosebanded Yellowhorn
  • Crocigrapha normaniNorman's Quaker
  • Dasychira basiflavaYellow-Based Tussock Moth
  • Dasychira obliquataStreaked Tussock Moth
  • Dasychira vagansVariable Tussock Moth
  • Datana ministraYellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth
  • Eacles imperialisImperial Moth, Imperial Spiny Caterpillar
  • Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
  • Ennomos magnariaMaple Spanworm Moth, Notchwing Geometer
  • Ennomos subsignariaElm Spanworm Moth
  • Episimus argutanaSumac Leaftier
  • Erannis tiliariaLinden Looper Moth, Western Winter Moth, Lime Looper
  • Euchlaena johnsonariaJohnson's Euchlaena
  • Euchlaena marginariaOchre Euchlaena
  • Euclea delphiniiSpiny Oak-Slug Moth
  • Eulithis diversilineataLesser Grapevine Looper Moth
  • Euphyia intermediataSharp-Angled Carpet Moth, The Intermediate
  • Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
  • Eupsilia morrisoniMorrison's Sallow
  • Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
  • Euzophera semifuneralisAmerican Plum Borer
  • Grapholita prunivoraLesser Apple Worm
  • Halysidota tessellarisBanded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
  • Haploa leconteiLeconte's Haploa
  • Haploa reversaReversed Haploa
  • Herpetogramma pertextalisBold-Feathered Grass Moth
  • Heterogenea shurtleffiRed-Eyed Button Slug
  • Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
  • Hydrelia albiferaFragile White Carpet
  • Hyles lineataWhite-Lined Sphinx
  • Hypagyrtis unipunctataOne-Spotted Variant
  • Hypena abalienalisWhite-Lined Bomolocha, White-Lined Snout
  • Hypena scabraGreen Cloverworm Bomolocha, Black Snout
  • Hyperstrotia pervertensDotted Graylet
  • Hyperstrotia villificansWhite-Lined Graylet
  • Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
  • Hypoprepia fucosaPainted Lichen Moth
  • Iridopsis ephyrariaPale-Winged Gray
  • Iridopsis humariaSmall Purplish Gray
  • Isa textulaCrowned Slug
  • Kocakina fidelisIntractable Quaker, Green Fruitworm, Fourlined Green Fruitworm
  • Lambdina fervidariaCurve-Lined Looper Moth
  • Lambdina fiscellariaHemlock Looper, Western Oak Looper
  • Limenitis arthemisBanded Purple, Red-Spotted Admiral
  • Lithacodes fasciolaYellow-Shouldered Slug
  • Lithophane antennataAshen Pinion
  • Lithophane bethuneiBethune's Pinion
  • Lithophane innominataNameless Pinion
  • Lithophane laticinereaBroad Ashen Pinion, Russet Spotted Pinion, Triple-Spotted Pinion
  • Lithophane petulcaWanton Pinion
  • Lochmaeus bilineataDouble-Lined Prominent
  • Lochmaeus manteoVariable Oakleaf Caterpillar Moth
  • Lophocampa caryaeHickory Tussock Moth, Hickory Tiger Moth
  • Lophocampa maculataSpotted Tussock Moth, Yellow-Spotted Tiger Moth
  • Lycia ypsilonWoolly Gray
  • Machimia tentoriferellaGold-Striped Leaftier Moth
  • Malacosoma americanaEastern Tent Caterpillar
  • Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
  • Megalopyge opercularisSouthern Flannel Moth, Puss Caterpillar
  • Melanchra adjunctaHitched Arches
  • Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
  • Melanolophia signatariaSignate Melanolphia
  • Morrisonia confusaConfused Woodgrain
  • Morrisonia latexFluid Arches, Fluid Mamestra
  • Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
  • Nemoria mimosariaWhite-Fringed Emerald
  • Nerice bidentataDouble-Toothed Prominent
  • Norape cretataWhite Flannel Moth
  • Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
  • Oedemasia semirufescensRed-Washed Prominent
  • Olethreutes lacunanomLacuna Moth
  • Olethreutes mysterianaMysterious Olethreutes
  • Operophtera bruceataBruce Spanworm
  • Orgyia definitaDefinite Tussock Moth
  • Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
  • Orthonama obstipataThe Gem
  • Orthosia garmaniGarman's Quaker
  • Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
  • Orthosia revictaSubdued Quaker
  • Orthotaenia undulanaDusky Leafroller
  • Paleacrita vernataSpring Cankerworm Moth
  • Pandemis lamprosanaWoodgrain Leafroller
  • Pandemis limitataThree-Lined Leafroller Moth
  • Panopoda carneicostaBrown Panopoda, Hickory Panopoda
  • Pantographa limataBasswood Leafroller Moth
  • Paonias excaecataBlinded Sphinx, Blind Eyed Sphinx
  • Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
  • Papilio glaucusEastern Tiger Swallowtail
  • Paraclemensia acerifoliellaMaple Leafcutter, Maple Case-Bearer
  • Parasa chlorisSmaller Parasa, Green Slug Moth
  • Perimede erransellaGray Perimede
  • Pero ancetariaHubner's Pero
  • Phaeoura quernariaOak Beauty Moth
  • Phigalia strigatariaSmall Phigalia, Small Oak Looper
  • Phigalia titeaThe Half-Wing Geometer, Spiney Looper, Eastern Oak Looper
  • Phyllodesma americanaLappet Moth, American Lappet Moth, Southern Lappet Moth
  • Phyllonorycter argentinotellaGolden Elm Leafminer
  • Plagodis fervidariaFervid Plagodis
  • Platynota flavedanaBlack-Shaded Platynota
  • Pococera asperatellaMaple Webworm
  • Polygonia commaEastern Comma
  • Prionoxystus robiniaeCarpenterworm Moth, Black Locust Borer, Cottonwood Borer
  • Probole amicariaFriendly Probole
  • Prochoerodes lineolaLarge Maple Spanworm Moth
  • Prolimacodes badiaSkiff Moth, Skiff Caterpillar
  • Protoboarmia porcelariaPorcelain Gray, Dashedlined Looper
  • Pyrrharctia isabellaIsabella Tiger Moth, Banded Woolybear
  • Schizura ipomaeaeMorning-Glory Prominent, Checkered-Fringe Prominent
  • Scopula limboundataLarge Lace-Border
  • Selenia kentariaKent's Geometer
  • Smerinthus jamaicensisTwin-Spotted Sphinx
  • Sparganothis sulfureanaSparganothis Fruitworm Moth, Sulfur Leafroller, False Yellow-Head
  • Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
  • Sunira bicoloragoBicolored Sallow
  • Symmerista leucitysOrange-Humped Mapleworm
  • Tetracis cachexiataWhite Slant-Line
  • Theisoa constrictellaConstricted Twirler
  • Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
  • Tolype velledaLarge Tolype, Large Lappet Moth, Vellada Lappet Moth
  • Utetheisa ornatrixOrnate Moth, Pink Underwing, Rattlebox Moth, Bella Moth
  • Vanessa carduiPainted Lady, Cosmopolite
  • Xanthotype sospetaCrocus Geometer
  • Zale minereaColorful Zale
  • Argyresthia undulatella
  • Cameraria obstrictella
  • Cameraria ulmella
  • Ectoedemia ulmella
  • Olethreutes clavana
  • Stigmella apicialbella
  • Xenotemna pallorana
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
—Specialist beesPollen specialists
5BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Ulmus

  • Aix sponsaWood Duck
  • Bonasa umbellusRuffed Grouse
  • Columba liviaRock Pigeon
  • Ortalis vetulaPlain Chachalaca
  • Passer domesticusHouse Sparrow
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)
Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Ulmaceae
Hardiness
Zones 5b–10a
Soil pH
Acidic to alkaline
Flower color
Green or red
Growth rate
Rapid
Growth habit
Single stem
Foliage color
Green
Fruit begins
Spring
Fruit ends
Spring

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Chinese Elm; Lacebark Elm

Conservation status

Kentucky rankSNA
Global rankGNR
KY statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Sources