Musashino Columnar Zelkova

Botanical Name: Zelkova serrata ‘Musashino’

Alternate Name: Musashino Japanese Zelkova

The Musashino Japanese Zelkova (Zelkova serrata ‘Musashino’) is a fast growing, medium sized, columnar deciduous tree with an upright, compact, dense growth habit. It is a fairly new cultivar that was introduced in the US less than 20 years ago. Zelkova originated in eastern China, Japan, and Taiwan and is prized for its elegant growth pattern, clean foliage, and attractive bark.

‘Musashino’ is the narrowest cultivar of the Zelkova and is perfect for planting as a street tree along narrow boulevards, with the canopy growing high enough to clear pedestrians walking underneath. The Musashino Japanese Zelkova is also a useful tree to use as a screen in small landscapes. It grows to a height of 40–45 feet with a spread of 15 feet.

Its leaves are mid-green, narrow, and elliptical in shape with attractive serrated margins. In the fall, the foliage turns various shades of glowing yellow, orange, and red.

The Musashino Japanese Zelkova is a tough and adaptable specimen that is tolerant of road salt, urban pollution, and heat. It is more drought tolerant than other varieties of Zelkova.