Hardy Rubber Tree

Eucommia ulmoides

Eucommiaceae

▲ small tree at Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis

▲ Leaves

▲ Bark

Location on campus:  on south side of Craig Hall in planter beds in walkway

Hardy Rubber Tree:  Eucommia ulmoides

                 ·         is a medium to large shade tree with alternate, deciduous, simple, glossy, dark-green, oval leaves with cuneate to serrate margins, 3-6 inches long and about ½ as wide (no real fall color)

            o   leaves will display rubbery “fibers” between separated sections, if torn

                 ·         twigs are thick, greenish-brown, with slight glaucous coating on new growth

                 ·         bark is grayish brown with ridge and furrow texture on older trees

                 ·         flowers not showy; fruit is a flattened, winged capsule, similar to a large elm fruit, but thicker;

                 ·         is a dioecious species with separate male and female trees

                 ·         grows 40-60 feet tall with rounded crown of near equal or greater width

                 ·         medium growth rate

                 ·         may suffer twig dieback in cold winters

                 ·         is a source of rubber, but not very economical to extract