Siberian Elm generally reaches 50-70 feet. Its bark is gray or brown, with shallow furrows at maturity. Both the buds and twigs are nearly hairless. They are tapering or rounded at their asymmetrical base. The alternate leaves are dark green and smooth above, paler and nearly hairless beneath.
Foliage is slightly pubescent when young.
Flowers are greenish, lack petals, and occur in small drooping clusters of 2-5 blossoms. The winged fruit has one seed that is circular or ovate with a smooth surface. Chinese elm flowers in late summer or fall. The apex and teeth of the leaves are less sharply acute than U. pumila . Siberian elm is a fast-growing tree that was introduced to the United States in the 1860's.