A native of Turkestan, eastern Siberia, Mongolia, Tibet, northern China, India, and Korea, the Siberian elm is a medium sized, often bushy tree. Also known as a "Dwarf elm," "Asiatic elm," or "Chinese elm," it has been widely cultivated in North America, Asia, and in some places in southern Europe. It usually grows between 10 and 20 meters high with a trunk of about 80 centimeters in diameter. The Turkestan variety known as "arborea" is considered the most handsome and grows to a slightly taller height of about 30 meters and has a rounded, broad crown. In colder areas, the Siberian elm features deciduous leaves. They are usually about 7 centimeters in length and 3 centimeters across. In warmer climates it is semi-evergreen with a coarsely serrated margin and an oblique base. In the fall the leaves generally change from dark green to yellow.
The Siberian elm typically does not make a good ornamental tree. They have a short lifespan, brittle wood, and a poorly shaped crown. In addition, it does not fare well in wet conditions. However, it is resistant to drought, severe cold, and disease such as Dutch elm disease which affects many of its counterparts. It has become somewhat of an invasive species in North America from Kansas to as far west as Utah and north to Ontario. After the Dustbowl disasters, it was planted in great numbers all across the prairies. Horticultural writer Dr. Michael Dirr once described it as "one of, if not the, world's worst trees."