Reflection Chinese Elm

Reflection Chinese Elm (Ulmus parvifolia 'Reflection') is a fast, tough shade and screening tree for gardens that need height without a fifty year wait. It reaches around 8m tall and 5m wide, smaller than a standard Chinese elm, carrying fine serrated leaves on arching branches above mottled bark that flakes to grey, cream and orange. It is one of the few trees that will take frost, drought, wind and poor soil in the same stride.

Why you'll love it

• Quick height. A fast grower, so a screen or a shaded seating area arrives in years rather than decades.
• Bark worth looking at. The trunk flakes in patches to expose cream, grey and orange, which carries the tree through winter.
• Autumn colour. Leaves turn buttery yellow and gold before dropping in cooler districts, a bonus on a tree grown mainly for shade.
• Very hard to kill. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, wind tolerant and untroubled by poor soil, which suits exposed and neglected sites.

Where it works best

Screening and privacy. Plant 4m apart in a row. The canopies meet at that spacing and give a high leafy screen above a fence line, which is what most overlooking problems need.

Shade tree. A single tree throws light dappled shade over a lawn, patio or car space. Allow around 5m of clear width for the crown.

Driveways and feature planting. Spaced evenly along a drive it makes a strong repeated line, and one specimen carries a front garden on its own.

Growing Chinese elm in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun. It performs in warm temperate, cool temperate, subtropical and Mediterranean gardens. Behaviour changes with climate: in cold districts it drops its leaves cleanly after colouring, while in warm and subtropical gardens it holds much of its foliage through winter and reads as semi evergreen.

Soil. Not fussy. It handles clay, sand and compacted urban ground, which is why it is planted so widely as a street tree. Improve the planting area with compost and mulch to the drip line, kept clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soakings twice a week through the first summer, then it carries itself on moderate water. A slow release tree fertiliser in early spring for the first few years is enough.

Pruning. Prune in late winter to lift the crown, remove crossing branches and set the shape you want. It responds well to pruning and can be shortened to keep it below 8m, which is useful under power lines or beside a boundary.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in 45L, 100L and 200L. These are advanced trees, already carrying trunk calliper and canopy, so a screen looks like a screen in the first season rather than the fourth. The 45L is the practical choice for a run of several trees, while the 100L and 200L are for immediate impact at an entry or over a courtyard.

Trees are packed to travel upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, so ask us before ordering several. Expect the first season to go into roots, then strong extension, backed by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse advanced trees for instant height
• Fast growing trees for privacy
• Trees and plants with autumn colour
• Compare screening plants from 4m to 8m

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a screen?

Four metres apart in a single row. That matches the mature width, so the crowns close into a continuous screen without the trees thinning each other out.

Is it deciduous or evergreen?

It sits between the two. In cool districts it colours and drops its leaves for winter, while in warm temperate and subtropical gardens it keeps most of its foliage year round.

Can I keep it smaller than 8m?

Yes. It takes pruning well, so a late winter trim each year holds it at 5m to 6m and keeps the canopy dense rather than open.