This elm forms a broad flattened crown with branches growing more or less horizontally in layers. The twigs at the end of the (lateral) branches are slightly pendulous. Because the branches are close together, the branching takes on a fishbone appearance. Height 5 - 7 m and often twice as broad. The dark grey bark remains smooth for a long time: later shallow grooves develop. Young twigs are greyish-brown with whitish hairs, later grey. A characteristic feature is that the leaves grow very close together, especially at the end of the branches. The large leaves are asymmetrical, dark green and with rough hairs on each side. The underside is light green. In the autumn they turn yellow. The brownish-violet flowers appear in bundles before the emergence of the leaves. The winged nutlets are spread by the wind. Sensitive to Dutch elm disease.