Smooth-leaved Elm

Smooth-leaved Elm (Ulmus carpinifolia) is a species of Elm native to Europe, from northeast Spain and southeast England east to southwest Russia. It is a deciduous tree reaching 30-35 m tall.

Similar elms in southeast Europe and southwest and central Asia are sometimes included in this species, but more often treated as separate species, Ulmus canescens, U. chumlia and U. villosa, while in northwest Europe, U. angustifolia, U. plottii and U. procera (English Elm) are also very closely related and possibly conspecific.

It hybridises with Ulmus glabra (Wych Elm) to give the hybrid Ulmus x hollandica (Dutch Elm ).

The scientific name refers to the superficial similarity of the leaves to Carpinus (Hornbeam) leaves, while the English name contrasts the smooth upper surface of the leaves, with the rough sandpapery-textured upper surface of Wych Elm leaves.