'Green Vase', 'Village Green'
Zelkova serrata
'Green Vase', 'Village Green' (Zelkova serrata) is a tree suited to the Colorado Front Range, rated "Not Recommended" on the 2024 Front Range Tree Recommendation List. It matures to about 50–60 ft tall and 40–50 ft wide, needs low to medium water, and prefers full sun. Marginal cold hardiness for the Front Range, winter dieback and stress are common. Better suited to milder zones.
low to medium water50–60 ft tall and 40–50 ft wideXeric / water-wise
Online from $102.95 at 1 retailerPhotos
Plan your garden
Not sure what to plant? The finder matches Front Range trees, shrubs, perennials, and groundcover to your soil, water, sun, and zone.
Ready to plant this?
At a glance
- Rating
- Not Recommended
- Botanical name
- Zelkova serrata
- Variety / cultivar
- 'Green Vase', 'Village Green'
- Type
- Tree
- Mature size
- 50–60 ft tall and 40–50 ft wide
- Mature form
- Vase-shaped
- Spacing / clearance
- ~50 ft of clearance
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 5–8
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Lifespan
- Medium
- Fall color
- Red, orange, bronze
- Water needs
- low to medium water
- Sun
- Best in full sun.
- Colorado native
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Soil
- clay, loam
- Soil pH
- 6.0–8.2
- Hail tolerance
- moderate
- Wind tolerance
- moderate
- Salt tolerance
- moderate
- Pollinator value
- low
Site factors to consider
- Critical: Cold HardinessHardy most winters but marginal in our cold pockets, so give it a protected spot and expect the odd year of winter dieback.
Wildlife & ecology
- Pollinator value
- low
Planting & establishment
Water deeply every 7–10 days through the first 2 summers. Winter water 1–2×/month October–March when soil is dry and unfrozen, winter desiccation is a top killer of newly-planted trees. Year 3: taper to 2×/month in summer, then rely on natural precipitation.
Frequently asked questions
- Is 'Green Vase', 'Village Green' good for the Colorado Front Range?
- Yes, 'Green Vase', 'Village Green' is a well-suited tree for Colorado's Front Range, rated "Not Recommended" on the 2024 Front Range Tree Recommendation List.
- Why is 'Green Vase', 'Village Green' not recommended on the Front Range?
- The main catches here: Hardy most winters but marginal in our cold pockets, so give it a protected spot and expect the odd year of winter dieback.
- How big does 'Green Vase', 'Village Green' get?
- It matures to about 50–60 ft tall and 40–50 ft wide.
- How much room does 'Green Vase', 'Village Green' need?
- Give 'Green Vase', 'Village Green' about 50 ft of clearance from buildings, fences, and other trees so the mature canopy isn't crowded.
- What shape does 'Green Vase', 'Village Green' grow into?
- 'Green Vase', 'Village Green' typically grows into a vase shape, a narrower base flaring to a high, arching crown that lifts over a patio or street. This is the species' usual mature form, named cultivars (columnar, weeping, or compact selections) can differ, so check the specific cultivar.
- Is 'Green Vase', 'Village Green' hardy on the Front Range?
- 'Green Vase', 'Village Green' is hardy in USDA 5–8. The Colorado Front Range spans roughly USDA 4b–6a, so it is at its cold edge here. Site it in a warm microclimate and protect young plants. That said, it carries a cold-hardiness caution: Hardy most winters but marginal in our cold pockets, so give it a protected spot and expect the odd year of winter dieback.
- How much water does 'Green Vase', 'Village Green' need?
- It needs low to medium water once established.
- How fast does 'Green Vase', 'Village Green' grow?
- 'Green Vase', 'Village Green' is a moderate-growing tree. Growth rate depends on water and site conditions on the Front Range.
- How long does 'Green Vase', 'Village Green' live?
- 'Green Vase', 'Village Green' has a moderate lifespan for a Front Range tree. Actual lifespan varies with site, water, and care.
- What color does 'Green Vase', 'Village Green' turn in fall?
- 'Green Vase', 'Village Green' turns red, orange, and bronze in autumn. Fall color intensity varies with the season and site on the Front Range.
- Is 'Green Vase', 'Village Green' native to Colorado?
- No. It is not a Colorado native, but it grows well on the Front Range.
Track 'Green Vase', 'Village Green' prices
What to plant instead
See also
Related trees
Zelkova, Japanese Zelkova 'Musashino'
Zelkova serrata
Maple, Red: Autumn Flame, REDPOINTE®, RED SUNSET®
Acer rubrum
Alder, European
Alnus glutinosa
Catalpa, Northern/Western, HEARTLAND®
Catalpa speciosa
Hackberry, Common Hackberry, PRAIRIE SENTINEL®
Celtis occidentalis
Katsura, Katsura Tree
Cercidiphyllum japonicum