Climate Matching Map
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| ClimateMatch_AZ_Ulmus_parvifolia.pdf (1.09 MB) | 1.09 MB |
1. Question 1
Yes
1
Very High
Chinese elm has a native range through North and Central China, Korea, Japan (Bugwood, 2018). Trees can naturalize (reseed) in heavily and not so heavily irrigated landscapes in Phoenix and southern California (Martin, 2023). It has been found to be invasive in some situations in Wisconsin (USDA, 2000). It has been found escaped in Arkansas (Serviss & Serviss, 2020). Ulmus parvifolia is found in many coastal counties of southern and central California (Calflora, 2023).
Bugwood,. 2018. “Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States - Chinese Elm”. https://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/subject.html?sub=6567.
Martin, Chris. 2023. “Virtual Library of Phoenix Landscape Plants”. https://www.public.asu.edu/~camartin/plants/Plant\%20html\%20files/ulmusparvifolia.html.
USDA,. 2000. “USDA NRCS Plant Guide.”
Serviss, Brett E, and Tricia K Serviss. 2020. “Noteworthy Records of Pistacia Chinensis (Anacardiaceae) and Ulmus Parvifolia (Ulmaceae) in Arkansas”. Phytoneuron 85.
Calflora,. 2023. “CALFLORA Taxon Report - Ulmus Parvifolia.”
2. Question 2
Yes
2
Very High
Ulmus parvifolia is found in many coastal counties of southern and central California, and a few counties in the Central Valley and elsewhere (Calflora, 2023). This includes climate-matching areas. The tree is naturalized in southern Nevada, northern New Mexico, and parts of central Texas and Oklahoma which are a climate-match for Arizona (Bugwood, 2018). The tree is reported as naturalized in three subdivisions of New South Wales, Australia (Murray, 2023). GBIF (2023) shows the plant naturalized in climate-matching parts of Australia, Mexico and South Africa.
Calflora,. 2023. “CALFLORA Taxon Report - Ulmus Parvifolia.”
Bugwood,. 2018. “Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States - Chinese Elm”. https://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/subject.html?sub=6567.
Murray, Louisa. 2023. “New South Wales Flora Online.”
2023. “GBIF—the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, Ulmus Parvifolia”. https://www.gbif.org/species/5361869.
3. Question 3
Yes
2
Low
The plant has the potential to be weedy through self-seeding in surrounding landscapes (NC Extension, 2023). Trees can naturalize (reseed) in heavily and not so heavily irrigated landscapes in Phoenix and southern California (Martin, 2023). It is reported invasive in DC, NC, NE, NJ, VA, and WI (USDA, 2005) but it is not listed on state or federal Noxious Weed lists. Most accounts refer to Chinese elm as a weed or naturalizing. It is unclear if it causes significant economic or environmental damage required to be considered an invasive species as defined by the PRE. GBIF (2023) states that there is no evidence of impact where the plant is naturalized in the USA and Australia, however it does list it as having impact in southern Africa. The answer is given as Yes with low confidence.
NC, Extension. 2023. “North Carolina Extension Gardener”. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ulmus-parvifolia/.
Martin, Chris. 2023. “Virtual Library of Phoenix Landscape Plants”. https://www.public.asu.edu/~camartin/plants/Plant\%20html\%20files/ulmusparvifolia.html.
USDA,. 2005. “Weed of the Week.”
2023. “GBIF—the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, Ulmus Parvifolia”. https://www.gbif.org/species/5361869.
4. Question 4
Yes
3
Low
The tree is naturalized in southern Nevada, northern New Mexico, and parts of central Texas and Oklahoma which are a climate-match for Arizona (Bugwood, 2018). The tree is reported as naturalized in three subdivisions of New South Wales, Australia (Murray, 2023) which appear to be climate-matched. Most accounts refer to Chinese elm as a weed or naturalizing, leaving it unclear if it causes significant economic or environmental damage required to be considered an invasive species as defined by the PRE. GBIF (2023) does list it as having impact in South Africa, an area with a climate match. The answer is given as Yes with low confidence.
Bugwood,. 2018. “Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States - Chinese Elm”. https://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/subject.html?sub=6567.
Murray, Louisa. 2023. “New South Wales Flora Online.”
2023. “GBIF—the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, Ulmus Parvifolia”. https://www.gbif.org/species/5361869.
5. Question 5
Yes
1
Very High
Ulmus pumila is invasive in areas with a similar climate, as well as areas with non-matching climate (Hirsh & Hensen, 2010).
Hirsch, Heidi, and Isabell Hensen. 2010. “Investigations on the Invasion Success of Ulmus Pumila L. In North America and Argentina.”
6. Question 6
No
0
High
Chinese elm is native to China, Korea, and Japan (NC Extension, 2023). These areas are mostly not climate-matching with Arizona. Major areas of occurrence for Chinese elm are in East Asia and the eastern and central USA (GBIF, 2023). Less than half (
NC, Extension. 2023. “North Carolina Extension Gardener”. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ulmus-parvifolia/.
2023. “GBIF—the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, Ulmus Parvifolia”. https://www.gbif.org/species/5361869.
7. Question 7
Yes
1
Medium
The literature does not offer accounts of naturalized plants overtoping plant communities. However the plant is an erect tree from 30-60 ft. tall (Bugwood, 2018) which by size alone suggests this likelihood.
Bugwood,. 2018. “Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States - Chinese Elm”. https://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/subject.html?sub=6567.
8. Question 8
No
0
Low
The literature does not mention fire effects associated with this plant. It appears native to largely mesic land areas (China, Korea, Japan) (Bugwood, 2018) which are not obviously prone to fire regimes. Other elms are not known to promote fire regimes. This infers an answer of no.
Bugwood,. 2018. “Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States - Chinese Elm”. https://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/subject.html?sub=6567.
9. Question 9
No
0
Medium
No health risks have been mentioned in Leopold's (1980) comprehensive article on Chinese and Siberian elms.
Leopold, Donald. 1980. “Chinese and Siberian Elms”. Arboriculture & Urban Forestry 6: 175-79. doi:10.48044/jauf.1980.044.
10. Question 10
Yes
1
Low
Ulmus parvifolia is a medium to large, deciduous tree to 25 meters tall (Serviss & Serviss, 2020). Its growth form does not suggest the formation of thickets. However photos of naturalized seedlings in Serviss & Serviss (2020) suggest the small plants in sufficient numbers might approximate a thicket.
Serviss, Brett E, and Tricia K Serviss. 2020. “Noteworthy Records of Pistacia Chinensis (Anacardiaceae) and Ulmus Parvifolia (Ulmaceae) in Arkansas”. Phytoneuron 85.
11. Question 11
No
0
High
No mention of vegetative spread is mentioned in Leopold's (1980) comprehensive article on Chinese and Siberian elms. Instead, he mentions the difficulty of propagation by cuttings.
Leopold, Donald. 1980. “Chinese and Siberian Elms”. Arboriculture & Urban Forestry 6: 175-79. doi:10.48044/jauf.1980.044.
12. Question 12
No
0
High
No mention of vegetative spread is mentioned in Leopold's (1980) comprehensive article on Chinese and Siberian elms. Reproduction by fragmentation is not suggested from the biology of the tree.
Leopold, Donald. 1980. “Chinese and Siberian Elms”. Arboriculture & Urban Forestry 6: 175-79. doi:10.48044/jauf.1980.044.
13. Question 13
Yes
1
Low
Storjohann and Whitcomb (1977) collected lacebark elm seeds at Oklahoma State University and found that 75 to 80% of the seeds were empty. They also found that lacebark elm (=Chinese elm) seeds are the most viable if collected before a hard
freeze. Freshly collected fruits should be air-dried for a few days before being sown or stored. Ulmus parvifolia seed has a viability period of 0.5 years (Bonner & Karrfalt, 2008). From these data it is inferred that Ulmus parvifolia does not produce seeds of high viability or longevity, but might make up for it in numbers of seed. A Yes answer is given because the plant produces viable seeds commonly enough to self-seed and naturalize to a notable degree in some settings, including in Phoenix (Martin, 2023) which does not experience a hard freeze.
freeze. Freshly collected fruits should be air-dried for a few days before being sown or stored. Ulmus parvifolia seed has a viability period of 0.5 years (Bonner & Karrfalt, 2008). From these data it is inferred that Ulmus parvifolia does not produce seeds of high viability or longevity, but might make up for it in numbers of seed. A Yes answer is given because the plant produces viable seeds commonly enough to self-seed and naturalize to a notable degree in some settings, including in Phoenix (Martin, 2023) which does not experience a hard freeze.
Bonner, Franklin T., and Robert P. Karrfalt. 2008. “The Woody Plant Seed Manual”. Agriculture Handbook 727. US Forest Service. https://www.fs.usda.gov/nsl/nsl_wpsm.html.
Martin, Chris. 2023. “Virtual Library of Phoenix Landscape Plants”. https://www.public.asu.edu/~camartin/plants/Plant\%20html\%20files/ulmusparvifolia.html.
14. Question 14
Yes
1
Low
No information could be found in the literature. The large size that the tree may grow to suggests a large number of seeds may be produced. While reports that 75 to 80% of the seeds are empty (Bonner & Karrfalt, 2008) the tree still makes sufficient viable seed to naturalize.
Bonner, Franklin T., and Robert P. Karrfalt. 2008. “The Woody Plant Seed Manual”. Agriculture Handbook 727. US Forest Service. https://www.fs.usda.gov/nsl/nsl_wpsm.html.
15. Question 15
No
0
Low
A high percentage of Chinese elm seeds are generally without embryo or may be sterile (Leopold, 1980). Ulmus parvifolia seed has a viability period of 0.5 years (Bonner & Karrfalt, 2008). These two factors lend towards a no answer.
No references cited.
16. Question 16
No
0
Medium
Bonner & Karrfalt (2008) present a table of minimal reproductive age for various Ulmus species. The minimum reproductive age for Ulmus parvifolia is not given. However the shortest minimal reproductive age for an elm listed is 8 years for U. pumila. Because Chinese elm is a larger tree, it is inferred it would require at least as long to reach reproductive age.
Bonner, Franklin T., and Robert P. Karrfalt. 2008. “The Woody Plant Seed Manual”. Agriculture Handbook 727. US Forest Service. https://www.fs.usda.gov/nsl/nsl_wpsm.html.
17. Question 17
No
0
High
Bonner & Karrfalt (2008) indicate that fruit ripening and seed dispersal take place over two months, Sep-Oct.
Bonner, Franklin T., and Robert P. Karrfalt. 2008. “The Woody Plant Seed Manual”. Agriculture Handbook 727. US Forest Service. https://www.fs.usda.gov/nsl/nsl_wpsm.html.
18. Question 18
No
0
Medium
The seeds are winged and are dispersed primarily by the wind (USDA, 2005).
USDA,. 2005. “Weed of the Week.”
19. Question 19
Yes
1
Low
The seeds are winged and are dispersed primarily by the wind (USDA, 2005). Another large elm tree, the American elm makes samaras which fall within 91 m of the parent tree (Barbour & Brinkman). They also note that for Rock elm, buoyant samaras can be carried by water and are frequently found along stream and lake banks.
No references cited.
20. Question 20
No
0
Low
The literature does not mention the likelihood of Ulmus parvifolia seed being dispersed on equipment or vehicles, but this is cited as a method of spread for Ulmus pumila, which has similar winged fruits/seeds (USDA, 2014).
USDA,. 2014. “Field Guide for Managing Siberian Elm in the Southwest.”
Total PRE Score
14
20
61
