The Chinese elm cultivar Ulmus parvifolia 'Cork Bark' or 'Corticosa is a North American clone.
By 8 to 10 years old, the bark breaks into thick, rough, irregular dark grey scales with deep fissures, the scales being present also on branches. Leaves are around 4 cm long, light green in spring, middle green in summer, turning bright yellow in fall. Tree grows some 20 ft tall and correspondingly wide. Described by Dawes Arboretum as "a fast-growing, tough tree".
The species and its cultivars are highly resistant, but not immune, to Dutch elm disease, and unaffected by the elm leaf beetle Xanthogaleruca luteola. 'Cork Bark' is susceptible to elm yellows.
The tree is sometimes chosen for bonsai, on account of its bark.