Ulmus with opposite leaves?

[Kanorin]

This volunteer sprang up in my yard. I also got plenty of normal alternate leafed ulmus volunteers (likely Americana, rubrum, or hybrids)
But this was the only opposite leaf pattern.

 

[cmeg1]

I’ve even seen juvenile Parvifolia’s do that too.

 

[Kanorin]

I’ve even seen juvenile Parvifolia’s do that too.

Are you saying that you've seen a small % of chinese elm that have a genetic mutation that causes opposite leaves?
Or that you've seen some that exhibit opposite leaves during their first few years and then they switch to alternate leaves at some point?

 

[cmeg1]

Are you saying that you've seen a small % of chinese elm that have a genetic mutation that causes opposite leaves?
Or that you've seen some that exhibit opposite leaves during their first few years and then they switch to alternate leaves at some point?

Just in their first grow season after germinatig

 

[Mikecheck123]

Just in their first grow season after germinatig

Yup. First year elm leaves of many species are opposite, which throws off lots of people trying to id saplings. The branches that emerge in spring are alternate.

A similar but more dramatic thing happens in many Eucalyptus species. The juvenile foliage is round and opposite and very different from the willow-like mature foliage.

A hard prune (e.g. by the overzealous electric company) induces juvenile foliage again, which leads many people to wonder what the heck happened to their tree.

 

[canoeguide]

Well, this probably answers why I have what seems to be an opposite-leaved volunteer American elm seedling growing in one of my pots. Thanks!