Hemiptelea davidii (Hance) Planch.

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Credits

Article from Bean's Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles

Recommended citation
'Hemiptelea davidii' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/hemiptelea/hemiptelea-davidii/). Accessed 2025-04-27.

Family

Ulmaceae

Genus

Hemiptelea

Synonyms

Planera davidii Hance
Zelkova davidii (Hance) Hemsl.

Other taxa in genus

Glossary

glabrous: Lacking hairs smooth. glabrescent Becoming hairless.
midrib: midveinCentral and principal vein in a leaf.

References

There are no active references in this article.

Credits

Article from Bean's Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles

Recommended citation
'Hemiptelea davidii' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/hemiptelea/hemiptelea-davidii/). Accessed 2025-04-27.

The trunk of Hemiptelea davidii with heavily furrowed bark (Arboretum Het Leen Eeklo, Belgium – 14 March 2020). Image © Jan De Langhe.

A small deciduous tree, armed with stout thorns; young shoots hairy. Leaves oval, 3⁄4 to 21⁄4 in. long, 1⁄2 to 1 in. wide, pointed, slightly heart-shaped at the base, with seven to fifteen teeth along each side; upper surface dark green and at first beset with pale, scattered hairs, each springing from a curious circular depression which, after the hair falls away, turns dark; lower surface glabrous except for a few scattered hairs on the midrib and chief veins at first. Fruits conical, 1⁄4 in. long, scarcely so wide, two-edged, slightly winged, shortly but distinctly stalked; stalk 1⁄12 in. long.

Native of N.E. and Central China, Manchuria, E. Mongolia, and Korea; introduced to France by Maurice de Vilmorin, and from his garden at Les Barres to Kew in 1908. The thorns in wild trees are very formidable, sometimes 4 or 5 in. long, but they become much less so on our cultivated trees.

In maturity Hemiptelea davidii can be both attractive and rather anonymous. Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. 8th August 2022. Image Tom Christian.

The extraordinary bark of Hemiptelea davidii, which must really be appreciated at close quarters. Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. 8th August 2022. Image Tom Christian.

Hemiptelea davidii can develop into a handsome small tree, as demonstrated here in Arboretum Het Leen Eeklo, Belgium (14 March 2020). Image © Jan De Langhe.

Hemiptelea davidii fruit detail (Arboretum Wespelaar, Belgium – 27 August 2013). Image © Jan De Langhe - Arboretum Wespelaar.

Leaf lower surface of Hemiptelea davidii with detail of coarse teeth and initially pubescence of petiole and shoot (Arboretum Wespelaar, Belgium – 27 August 2013). Image © Jan De Langhe - Arboretum Wespelaar.

Hemiptelea davidii detail of the initially pubescent thorn and petiole (Arboretum Wespelaar, Belgium – 27 August 2013). Image © Jan De Langhe - Arboretum Wespelaar.

Shoot variation of Hemiptelea davidii. The typical elliptic leaves, with generally unbranched secondary veins ending in coarse teeth (Arboretum Wespelaar, Belgium – 27 August 2013). Image © Jan De Langhe - Arboretum Wespelaar.

In the foliage of Hemiptelea davidii, several shoots have been developed into thorns up to 10 cm long. Like here on a fruiting specimen at Arboretum Wespelaar, Belgium (27 August 2013). Image © Jan De Langhe - Arboretum Wespelaar.

Hemiptelea davidii in winter, its vicious thorns amply evident. Abbeyleix, Co. Laois, Ireland. December 2017. Image John Anderson.

Hemiptelea davidii's attractive foliage disguises the danger during the growing season. Valley Gardens, Windsor, UK. April 2018. Image John Anderson.

Without a leader yet established, this specimen of Hemiptelea davidii makes a broad, prickly, rather intimidating shrub (Lovell Quinta Arboretum, Cheshire, UK; 20th September 2022). Image Julian Sutton.

Late summer shoot growth in Hemiptelea davidii, with beautifully purple-flushed young leaves (Lovell Quinta Arboretum, Cheshire, UK; 20th September 2022). Image Julian Sutton.