If you were to pull apart the green glossy leaves of this tree you would see fine strands of rubber latex connecting the wound. This tree was introduced from China in the late 1800s and remains a rareity in the UK, confined to plant collectors or public arboretums. Eucommia ulmoides does well on most free draining fertile soils and forms a broadly pyramidal crown at maturity.
It is best in full sun but is fully hardy down to about -20 degrees Celsius once mature. Its flower and seed are inconsequential but its lustrous foliage display in the summer months make it a majestic tree for planting on estates and parkland.
Mature height: 12-17m