# A plant ID question from Margaret **URL:** \ **Category:** Q & A\ **Created:** [December 16, 2025, 2:23am UTC](https://forum.comoxvalleyhortsociety.ca/t/a-plant-id-question-from-margaret/1988 "2025-12-16T02:23:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wendyvyoung4](https://forum.comoxvalleyhortsociety.ca/user_avatar/forum.comoxvalleyhortsociety.ca/wendyvyoung4/32/1897_2.png) [@wendyvyoung4](https://forum.comoxvalleyhortsociety.ca/u/wendyvyoung4)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2025, 2:23am UTC](https://forum.comoxvalleyhortsociety.ca/t/a-plant-id-question-from-margaret/1988/1 "2025-12-16T02:23:27Z")
A week ago, my walking group was down at Lazo Beach/Pt. Holmes and saw a group of very unusual trees. They are on the road side against the fence enclosing the RV park on Hutton Road, just off the west end of Lazo Rd. The branches on the trees look almost like cactus and are segmented. The newer growth looks quite normal. One remaining leaf was purplish and rather like an ornamental plum tree. Are you able to identify the trees from my photos or explain why the older branches look somewhat diseased? Margaret F ![IMG_0024](https://forum.comoxvalleyhortsociety.ca/uploads/default/original/2X/6/60049d968dcb257019c4fe92caca8a040191b2c3.jpeg) ![IMG_0023](https://forum.comoxvalleyhortsociety.ca/uploads/default/original/2X/e/e0ed031312262108cd7957cc93652955262b1e4c.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![CVHS](https://forum.comoxvalleyhortsociety.ca/user_avatar/forum.comoxvalleyhortsociety.ca/cvhs/32/636_2.png) [@CVHS](https://forum.comoxvalleyhortsociety.ca/u/CVHS)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2025, 3:56pm UTC](https://forum.comoxvalleyhortsociety.ca/t/a-plant-id-question-from-margaret/1988/2 "2025-12-16T15:56:24Z")
We have forwarded your question onto the Vancouver Island Master Gardeners. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![CVHS](https://forum.comoxvalleyhortsociety.ca/user_avatar/forum.comoxvalleyhortsociety.ca/cvhs/32/636_2.png) [@CVHS](https://forum.comoxvalleyhortsociety.ca/u/CVHS)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2025, 11:24pm UTC](https://forum.comoxvalleyhortsociety.ca/t/a-plant-id-question-from-margaret/1988/3 "2025-12-17T23:24:39Z")
Thank you to the Master Gardener volunteers from Gardening Advice Line, a partnership between Milner Gardens & Woodland and the Vancouver Island Master Gardeners Association for the following information: Hello Margaret, The tree in your photos appears to be a type of elm. Our best guess as to type is Field Elm, or _Ulmus minor_. One of our Master Gardeners lives near this location and was able to visit to take a look. A photo of one of the leaves is included below - notice how the leaves have serrated edges: This serration is indicative of elms. ![image](https://forum.comoxvalleyhortsociety.ca/uploads/default/original/2X/e/ecd408806b7d9d64f885168ec1cc2f15379b5c23.jpeg) The corky ridges or “wings” you are seeing on older branches and trunk are consistent with this type of elm (and some other elms, though they are not usually found in this region) and aren’t indicative of disease. Field elm is known for being _polymorphic_, or having more than one common form: some consider English Elm and Field Elm to be the same species with subtle differences in leaves, and there is debate around this classification. Many elms are able to hybridize with each other. There are multiple cultivars of Field Elm as well. These factors can make identification difficult. Field Elm is an introduced species in BC, and has been observed elsewhere on Vancouver Island as well as on the mainland, according to verified iNaturalist records. Some other types of elm (Siberian, Chinese) are considered invasive in parts of BC, but not this particular species at this time. The Invasive Species Council of BC tracks observations of all elms in BC on iNaturalist. The main concern in tracking species of elm is related to the spread of Dutch Elm Disease. We were able to include photos of these elms along Lazo and Hutton in their tracking project, thanks to your observation of this tree. Thank you for your question and showing us this very interesting specimen. Sincerely, Vancouver Island Master Gardener Volunteers **Sources for this answer:** iNaturalist Elm (_Ulmus_) Observations in BC: [https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place\_id=7085&taxon\_id=79461](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=7085&taxon_id=79461) North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: [Field Elm - Ulmus minor | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ulmus-minor/common-name/field-elm/) Observatree UK: Elms [https://observatree.org.uk/media/1788/hotm-june-2023-elm.pdf](https://observatree.org.uk/media/1788/hotm-june-2023-elm.pdf) BC Landscape & Nursery Association: Dutch Elm Disease [Dutch Elm Disease](https://bclna.com/dutch-elm-disease) Invasive Species Council of BC’s Invasives Tracking Project on iNaturalist: [https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/tell-us-about-your-trees](https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/tell-us-about-your-trees) ---
**Author:** ![wendyvyoung4](https://forum.comoxvalleyhortsociety.ca/user_avatar/forum.comoxvalleyhortsociety.ca/wendyvyoung4/32/1897_2.png) [@wendyvyoung4](https://forum.comoxvalleyhortsociety.ca/u/wendyvyoung4)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2025, 12:06am UTC](https://forum.comoxvalleyhortsociety.ca/t/a-plant-id-question-from-margaret/1988/4 "2025-12-19T00:06:27Z")
Thank you for your detailed reply and the interesting links. Wendy ---
**Author:** ![wendyvyoung4](https://forum.comoxvalleyhortsociety.ca/user_avatar/forum.comoxvalleyhortsociety.ca/wendyvyoung4/32/1897_2.png) [@wendyvyoung4](https://forum.comoxvalleyhortsociety.ca/u/wendyvyoung4)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2025, 8:48pm UTC](https://forum.comoxvalleyhortsociety.ca/t/a-plant-id-question-from-margaret/1988/5 "2025-12-20T20:48:07Z")
Thank you Master Gardener for the detailed reply. We had already decided we need to watch that group of trees during several seasons to check it out. Many thanks for taking the time to solve our question. Margaret