Ulmus parvifolia ‘Inspire’ (Inspire Chinese Elm)
Ulmus parvifolia ‘Inspire’ (Inspire Chinese Elm)
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Ulmus parvifolia ‘Inspire’ is an elegant, upright-growing Chinese Elm valued for its narrow canopy and suitability for compact landscapes. Its fine, glossy green foliage creates an attractive leafy screen before developing warm yellow, orange and red tones during autumn. As the tree matures, its exfoliating bark reveals decorative patches of cream, grey, yellow and brown, providing year-round visual interest.
Ideal for driveways, avenues, courtyards, screening and narrow garden beds, ‘Inspire’ offers the beauty and shade of a traditional elm without requiring the same amount of space. It is hardy, frost tolerant and adaptable to a range of well-drained soils. Customers should choose this tree for its refined vertical shape, seasonal colour and dependable performance in both residential and commercial landscapes. Mature dimensions vary with climate and growing conditions, with Australian growers listing approximately 6–10 metres high and 2–4 metres wide.
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Mature height
Approximately 6–10 metres.
Mature width
Approximately 2–4 metres.
Spacing
Approximately 3–4 metres apart for avenues, screening or repeated landscape planting.
Evergreen/Deciduous
Semi-deciduous to deciduous, depending on climate. Trees may retain their foliage until late winter in warmer areas.
Foliage
Glossy green foliage with yellow, gold, orange and red autumn tones. Mottled bark displays cream, yellow, grey and brown.
Flowering Period & Fruit Development/Harvest
Produces tiny, inconspicuous greenish flowers from late summer into autumn, sometimes followed by small papery, winged seeds.
Sun tolerance
Full sun to partial shade. Best canopy development and autumn colour occur in full sun.
Maintenance
Low to moderate. Water deeply during establishment, mulch around the root zone and undertake formative pruning while young. Once established, prune only to remove dead, damaged or crossing branches.
Root System
Strong, fibrous and moderately spreading. Allow adequate clearance from paving, drains and underground services, and avoid unnecessary root disturbance.