Jim Lewis wrote:

snip

Zelkova -- almost always -- is a more interesting tree. They
have "chi" while Chinese elms don't. This last, of course,
is a
matter of opinion and like all general statements wide open
to
the exception.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Our life
is
frittered away by detail . . . . Simplify! Simplify. -- Henry
David Thoreau - Walden

I'd be interested in a fuller explanation Jim. Just curious
what you mean.


Some of it is the fact of commonness. Chinese elms are a dime a
dozen -- less if you have ever tried to NOT grow an elm cutting.

Chinese elms are fairly tough to get really good ramification on.
Zelkova ramify quite easily.

Imported Chinese elms are grotesquely bent into looping "S"
shapes and cannot help but be ugly.

Chinese elms look "coarse" while Zelkova have a bit of elegance
to them.

Zelkova bark is much prettier.

Zelkova have fall color.

Zelkova have winter bare branches, while the elms just look tired
with their over-the-hill "evergreen" leaves desperately clinging
to the tree.

And, finally, as I said above . . . it is a matter of opinion.

And yes, I have Chinese elms. Zelkova grow very poorly down
here.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Our life is
frittered away by detail . . . . Simplify! Simplify. -- Henry
David Thoreau - Walden

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