Zelkova Serrata - Cultivation and Uses

Cultivation and Uses

It is often grown as an ornamental tree, both in its native area and in Europe and North America. The first cultivation outside of Asia was by Philipp Franz von Siebold, who introduced it to the Netherlands in 1830. Recently, it has been planted as a "street tree" in New York City.

Numerous cultivars have been selected, including 'Fuiri Keaki' (variegated leaves), 'Goblin' (dwarf), 'Goshiki' (variegated leaves), 'Green Vase' (tall, narrow crown), 'Green Veil' (pendulous branchlets), 'Iruma Sango' (fastigiate), 'Nire Keaki' (semi-dwarf), 'Pulverulenta' (variegated leaves), 'Spring Grove' (upright crown), 'Variegata' (variegated leaves), 'Village Green' (grows more rapidly than ordinary seedlings and develops a straight smooth trunk. Hardier than trees of Japanese origin photos), 'Variegata' (weak growing, small leaved form with a narrow white rim around the margin of the leaf),'Parkview' (selection with good vase-shape, size similar to species) and 'Urban Ruby' (red autumn colour). It has also hybridised with Zelkova carpinifolia in Europe, the hybrid being named Zelkova × verschaffeltii.

Keyaki wood is valued in Japan and used often for furniture, such as tansu, as well as being considered the ideal wood for the creation of taiko drums.

The tree is a symbol of a number of Japanese cities and prefectures: Saitama Prefecture, Miyagi Prefecture, Fukushima Prefecture, Fukushima-shi, Abiko-shi, Tachikawa-shi, Yokohama-shi, Machida City in Tokyo Metropolis District and more.