One of many Field elm growing in the hedgerows of the Hill Barton industrial estate of Exeter, UK.

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Field elm, also known as smooth leaved elm, is a variable species across much of Europe and is almost certainly not native to Britain.

Mature trees grow to 30m. The bark is grey brown, often with crossing ridges. The twigs are brown and occasionally have corky 'wings' or ridges.

Field elm may be developing a resistance to Dutch elm disease because it can reproduce more readily from seed.

The leaves are glossy, flat and smooth but leathery to the touch, and double toothed, 6-15cm in length. They have a characteristic asymmetrical base and taper to a sudden point at the top.

Elms are hermaphrodites, meaning that both male and female reproductive parts are contained within the same flower. Flowers are dark pink to red and hang in tassels, appearing in February and March.

Once pollinated by wind, the flowers develop into tiny winged fruits, known as samaras. These are dispersed by wind.

Many birds eat elm seeds and the leaves provide food for the caterpillars of many moths, including the peppered, light emerald and white spotted pinion moths.

Caterpillars of the white letter hairstreak butterfly feed on elms and the species has declined dramatically since Dutch elm disease arrived in the UK.

Before metal was widely available, many English towns had elm water mains, including Bristol, Reading, Exeter, Southampton, Hull and Liverpool.

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Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Ulmaceae
Genus: Ulmus
Species: U. minor
Binomial name
Ulmus minor

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