Caucasian elm - Zelkova carpinifolia.

Taxonomy.

Caucasian Elm - Zelkova carpinifolia.

Kingdom - Plantae.

Division - Magnoliophyta.

Class - Magnoliopsida.

Order - Rosales.

Family - Ulmaceae.

Genus - Zelkova.

Species - Zelkova carpinifolia.

The Caucasian elm is an 'Old Lion' of Kew Gardens, being one of the original trees planted in the original arboretum in 1762. The recognised heritage tree was planted, with two others, in 1760. It is in the herbarium paddock which is not open to the public and may have been one of the first batch of these plants to be introduced into the UK from the Caucasus. However there is a second extant plant near the Brentford gate, although believed not to ba as good a specimen. Little is known about them, possibly because the land they are planted on was not part of Princess Augusta’s original arboretum. It is believed a small proportion were bought into the Country at this time, an example being the tree in Wardour castle, although another batch was shipped in from Persia in 1782 by Andre Michaux¹ Interestingly, according to the Kew Gardens records, one of the largest can be found at Tolwortyh Court Hotel, standing at over 30m high with a girth of 6.25m.The tree in the Herbarium was recorded at 60’ (18 m) in 1905 although they can grow to 100’ (35 m). It has a distinctive crown, sometime referred to as vase-shaped. The leaves are bluntly serrated and around 2-4” (4-10 cm) long, and around 1-2” (2-6 cm) across. The flowers are typical of elms, being inconspicious, pale green in colour, and with no petals. The flowers are wind pollinated and, after pollination, produce a small 2” (5 cm) nutlet seed. Little else, unfortunately, is known about this tree, rather surprisingly for being a special tre in Kew!