How to Identify a Winged Elm Leaf

Measure the length and the width of the leaves on the winged elm. The leaves average between 1 ¼ inches to 2 ½ inches long. Their widths are usually about half their length.

Observe the shape and edges of the winged elm leaf. The leaves are elliptical, with some having slightly curved sides. The leaves taper to a point, with their bases on the opposite end being asymmetrical. They sometimes have a wedge shape, but usually one side of the base is rounder than the other one.

Look at the saw-toothed serrations along the borders of the leaf and the multiple veins that run throughout it. This is a characteristic of elm trees, with the serrations defined and easy to see. The veins fan out from the center of the leaf, extending out to the sides. They run parallel to each other.

Feel the upper surface of the winged elm leaf. It has a rough feel to it and it is both firm and thick, according to the "National Audubon Society Field Guide to Trees: Eastern Region." The undersides have a coating of soft hairs on them, as opposed to the hairless upper surfaces.

Inspect the colors of the leaves on the winged elm. They are dark shades of green, except for when they change to a pale kind of yellow color in autumn. Winged elms do not provide brilliant color to the landscape before their leaves come off the tree, notes the Missouri Botanical Garden, which describes their fall color as "undistinguished."