Ulmus procera 914634 223099719 2008-07-02T15:53:57Z Jaguarlaser 3680302 Category:Ornamental trees {{Taxobox | status = LC | name = ''Ulmus procera'' | image = PP-5-71990 (25).JPG | image_caption = English Elm, Preston Park, Brighton. | regnum = [[Plant]]ae | divisio = [[flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]] | classis = [[dicotyledon|Magnoliopsida]] | ordo = [[Rosales]] | familia = [[Ulmaceae]] | genus = ''[[Ulmus]]'' | species = '''''U. procera''''' | binomial = ''Ulmus procera'' | binomial_authority = [[Salisb.]] | synonyms = *''Ulmus atinia'' <small>Walker</small> *''Ulmus campestris'' <small> L., Loudon, Planch., Moss</small> *''Ulmus minor'' var. ''vulgaris''<small> Richens</small> *''Ulmus sativa'' <small>Mill. </small> *''Ulmus suberosa'' <small> Smith, Loudon, Lindley</small> *''Ulmus surculosa'' <small> Stokes</small> var. ''latifolia'' <small> Stokes, Ley </small> }} [[Image:Umvvulgaris-WC-2003.jpg|thumb|left|English elm leaves]] '''''Ulmus procera''''' <small>Salisb.</small>, the '''English Elm''' or '''Atinian Elm''' was, before the advent of [[Dutch elm disease]], one of the largest and fastest-growing [[deciduous]] [[tree]]s in Europe, often exceeding 40 m in height with a trunk up to 2 m [[diameter at breast height|d.b.h]] diameter <ref name=Bean>Bean, W. J. (1981). ''Trees and shrubs hardy in Great Britain''. Murray, London.</ref>. The largest specimen ever recorded in England, at [[Forthampton]] Court, near [[Tewkesbury]], was 46 m tall <ref name=Elwes>Elwes, H. J. & Henry, A. (1913). ''The Trees of Great Britain & Ireland''. Vol. VII. pp 1848-1929. Private publication. [http://fax.libs.uga.edu/QK488xE4/7tgbi/]</ref>. The [[leaf|leaves]] are dark green, almost orbicular, < 10 cm long, without the pronounced acuminate tip at the apex typical of the genus. Wind-pollinated, the small, reddish-purple [[plant sexuality|hermaphrodite]] [[flower]]s are without [[petals]], and appear in early [[Spring (season)|spring]] before the leaves . The tree does not produce fertile [[seed]], and propagation is entirely by [[root]] suckers <ref name=Richens>Richens, R. H. (1983). ''Elm''. Cambridge University Press </ref> <ref name=Stace>Stace, C. A. (1997). ''New Flora of the British Isles''. Cambridge University Press.</ref> <ref name=White>White, J. & More, D. (2002). ''Trees of Britain & Northern Europe''. Cassell's, London </ref>. [[Image:Elm and the vine.jpg|thumb|left|'The Vintage in Tuscany', 1849.]] A survey of genetic diversity in [[Spain]], [[Italy]] and the [[UK]] <ref name=Cogulludo-Agustin>Cogulludo-Agustin, M. A., Agundez, D. & Gil, L. (2000) Identification of native and hybrid elms in Spain using isozyme gene markers; ''Heredity'', August 2000, vol. 85. Nature Publishing Group, London. </ref> [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3959561.stm] revealed that the English Elms are genetically identical, clones of a single tree, the Atinian Elm once widely used for training vines. Although there is no record of its introduction to Britain, it probably arrived with the [[Ancient Rome|Romans]], a hypothesis supported by the discovery of pollen in an excavated Roman vineyard. The introduction of the tree to Spain from Italy is recorded by the Roman agronomist [[Columella]] in his treatise ''De Re Rustica'', written circa AD [[50]]; it has also identified it as the elm grown in the vineyards of the [[Valais]], or Wallis, canton of [[Switzerland]]. More than a thousand years after the departure of the Romans from Britain, the English Elm found far greater popularity, as the preferred tree for planting in the new [[Common Hawthorn|Hawthorn]] hedgerows appearing as a consequence of the [[Enclosure]] movement, which lasted from [[1550]] to [[1850]]. ==Dutch elm disease== :''For more detailed information on the disease, see [[Dutch elm disease]]'' Owing to its homogeneity, the tree has proven particularly susceptible to Dutch elm disease, but immature trees remain a common feature in the English countryside courtesy of the ability to sucker from roots. After about 20 years, these too become infected by the fungus and killed back to ground level. English Elm was the first elm to be [[genetically engineered]] to resist disease, at the [[University of Abertay Dundee]] [http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,4246134-103690,00.html]. It was an ideal subject for such an experiment, as its sterility meant there was no danger of its introgression into the countryside. [[Image:Largest of the two Preston Twins.JPG|thumb|150px|left|The larger of the 'Preston Twins']] =====Brighton and the 'cordon sanitaire'===== The English Elm population in Britain was decimated by [[Dutch Elm Disease]]. Despite this, mature trees can still be found in the south coast [[Dutch Elm Disease Management Area]] in [[East Sussex]]. [[Image:DED control notice.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Sign on A27 road, Brighton, UK]] This 'cordon sanitaire', aided by the prevailing south westerly onshore winds and the topographical niche formed by the [[South Downs]], has saved many mature elms. Amongst these are possibly the world's oldest surviving English Elms, known as the 'Preston Twins' in [[Preston Park, Brighton|Preston Park]], both with trunks exceeding 600 cm in circumference (2.0 m [[d.b.h.]]). =====Other notable trees in the UK===== Mature English Elms are now only very rarely found beyond Brighton. Until circa [[2006]] several large trees survived in the [[Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh]] but these too died when the area succumbed to the northward advance of Dutch elm disease. [[Image:English Elm avenue.jpg|thumb|right|English Elms in [[Fitzroy Gardens, Melbourne]]]] [[Image:Ulmus procera 1.jpg|thumb|right|English Elm at [[Morton Arboretum]]]] ==Overseas trees== As a consequence of Empire, some of the most significant remaining stands are to be found overseas, notably in [[Australia]] <ref name=Spencer>Spencer, R., Hawker, J. and Lumley, P. (1991). ''Elms in Australia''. Australia: Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne. ISBN 0724199624 </ref> where they line the streets of [[Melbourne]], protected by [[geography]] and [[quarantine]] from [[disease]]. However, many of these trees, now over 100 years old, are succumbing to old age, and are being replaced with new trees raised by material from the older trees budded onto Wych Elm ''[[Ulmus glabra]]'' rootstock <ref name=Fitzgibbon>Fitzgibbon, J. (2006) Royal Parade Elm Replacement. ''Elmwatch'', Vol. 16 No. 1, March 2006. </ref>. The tree has been widely planted in [[New Zealand]], and is still commonly found in [[Auckland]] where it is regarded at its best as a street tree <ref name=Auckland>Auckland Botanical Society (2003). ''Journal'' Vol. 58 (1), June 2003. ISSN 0113-41332 </ref>. In the [[USA]], several fine trees survive in [[New York City]], notably the [[Hangman's Elm]] in [[Washington Square Park]] <ref name=Barnard>Barnard, E. S. (2002). ''New York City Trees''. Columbia University Press</ref>. ==Uses== The English Elm was once valued for many purposes, notably as water pipes from hollowed trunks, owing to its resistance to rot in saturated conditions. However, it is chiefly remembered today for its aesthetic contribution to the English countryside, where it sometimes occurred in densities of over 1000 per square kilometre. "Its true value as a landscape tree may be best estimated by looking down from an eminence in almost any part of the valley of the Thames, or of the Severn below Worcester, during the latter half of November, when the bright golden colour of the lines of elms in the hedgerows is one of the most striking scenes that England can produce" <ref name=Elwes>Elwes, H. J. & Henry, A. (1913). ''The Trees of Great Britain & Ireland''. Vol. VII. pp 1848-1929. Private publication. [http://fax.libs.uga.edu/QK488xE4/7tgbi/]</ref>. ==Cultivars== There has been a small number of cultivars raised since the early 19th century <Ref name=Green>Green, P. S. (1964). Registration of cultivar names in Ulmus. ''Arnoldia'', Vol. 24. Arnold Arboretum, Harvard University. [http://arnoldia.arboretum.harvard.edu/pdf/articles/1605.pdf]</ref>, three of which have now almost certainly been lost to cultivation: *[[Ulmus 'Acutifolia'|Acutifolia]], [[Ulmus 'Argenteo-Variegata' (English Elm cultivar)|Argenteo-Variegata]], [[Ulmus 'Folia Aurea'|Folia Aurea]], [[Ulmus 'Louis van Houtte'|Louis van Houtte]], [[Ulmus 'Pyramidalis' (English Elm cultivar)|Pyramidalis]]. ==Arboreta etc. accessions== =====North America===== *[[Longwood Gardens]], acc. no. L-2507. *[[Morton Arboretum]], acc. nos. 211-40, 756-60, 351-70. =====Europe===== *[[Brighton & Hove]] City Council, [[NCCPG]] Elm Collection. UK champion: Preston Park, 15 m high (storm damaged), 201 cm [[d.b.h.]] in [[2001]] <ref name=Johnson>Johnson, Owen (ed.) (2003). ''Champion Trees of Britain & Ireland''. Whittet Press, [[ISBN 9781873580615]].</ref>. Brighton & Hove has some 700 trees; the most notable examples are at Preston Park, South Victoria Gardens, Royal Pavilion Gardens, The Level, St. Peter's Church, Holmes Avenue, Preston Road (A23), Elm Square (Patcham) and Hanover Crescent. *The Cuckmere Valley, East Sussex. Around Westdean village, along what is lnown as "The Cathedral Walk"; Litlington, Lullington and Alfriston. *Grange Farm, [[Sutton St. James]], [[Spalding]], [[Lincolnshire]], [[UK]], acc. no. 518. *[[Strona Arboretum]] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulmus_lamellosa], University of Life Sciences, [[Warsaw]], [[Poland]]. *[[University of Copenhagen]], Botanic Garden, one specimen, no details available. *[[Westonbirt Arboretum]] [http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/infd-62qk8w],[[Tetbury]], [[Gloucestershire|Glos.]], [[UK]], four trees, listed as ''U. minor'' var. ''vulgaris'' (no planting dates nor acc. nos. available). =====Australasia===== *[[Eastwoodhill Arboretum]] [http://www.eastwoodhill.org.nz/gardens--collection/collection.aspx?Type=&G=Ulmus], [[Gisborne]], [[New Zealand]], 12 trees, details not known. *Waite Arboretum [http://www.waite.adelaide.edu.au/arboretum/], [[University of Adelaide]], [[Adelaide]], [[Australia]] ==Nurseries== =====North America===== *Wild Thyme Farm [http://sonic.net/~wildfarm/ripcrpplant.html] =====Europe===== *Buckingham Nurseries, [[UK]], [http://www.buckingham-nurseries.co.uk/acatalog/index.html] *Elmcroft Tree Nursery, Bradford Lane, [[Newent]], Glos., UK. =====Australasia===== *Established Tree Planters Pty. Ltd., Wandin, Victoria, Australia. [http://establishedtrees.com.au] *Fleming's Nursery [http://www.flemings.com.au/], [[Monbulk]], [[Victoria, Australia|Victoria]], [[Australia]] ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== *http://redwood.mortonarb.org/PageBuilder?cid=2&qid= Morton Arboretum Catalogue 2006 [[Category:Ulmaceae|Elm, English]] [[Category:Ornamental trees]] [[de:Englische Ulme]] [[nl:Engelse veldiep]]