When it comes to street trees, many of us
\n\u201colder and wiser\u201d folks remember driving down a residential street surrounded
\nby a canopy of American elm trees. However, back in the late 60\u2019s and early 70\u2019s,
\narborists started removing thousands of dead elms, including my Detroit,
\nMichigan street tree. This moment was a pivotal point in my \u201cbudding\u201d career as
\na young child; I wanted to know why the trees were removed and what I could do
\nto help.<\/p>\n
Once widely planted and used for its form,
\nshade and incredible urban tolerance, the American elm succumbed to Dutch elm
\ndisease (DED), spreading rapidly by elm bark beetles and root grafts between
\nelm trees. Did this mean no more elm trees in our urban forest?\u00a0 Scientists at major universities and arboreta
\nacross the U.S. worked on solutions. From their breeding efforts, new hybrids
\nof various species of American, Asian and European elms were created. Many of
\nthese trees show good resistance to DED and phloem necrosis (elm yellows),
\nanother devastating disease of elms. Through many years of breeding, evaluation
\nand selection, we are now able to bring more elms back to our urban forests.<\/p>\n
The below species, hybrids and cultivars are all
\ncommercially available in Wisconsin or available from one of the large,
\nbareroot tree nurseries that supply elms to Wisconsin nurseries. I have
\nresearched their availability for you and omitted elms that are no longer
\navailable for sale, including several American elm cultivars. As newer
\nselections become available with better form or growth rate and improved insect
\nand disease resistance, older hybrids are no longer available. Resistance to
\nleaf feeding insects should be part of your selection process. Elm leaf beetle,
\nJapanese beetle, elm leaf miner, cankerworms, etc. can severely alter the
\nornamental value of a tree, i.e. defoliation or severe leaf browning in summer,
\nsimilar to littleleaf linden trees.<\/p>\n
I. Ulmus americana<\/em><\/strong> (American elm); hardy to U.S. National Arboretum Introductions<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2018Jefferson\u2019<\/strong>: \u2018New Harmony\u2019<\/strong>: \u2018Valley Forge\u2019<\/strong>: Other Nursery Introductions<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2018JFS-Prince II\u2019<\/strong>: Colonial \u2018Lewis and Clark\u2019<\/strong>: Prairie \u2018Princeton\u2019<\/strong>: \u2018St. Croix\u2019<\/strong>: First II. Other Ulmus<\/em><\/strong> davidiana<\/em><\/strong> \u2018JFS-KW2UD\u2019<\/strong>: Greenstone\u2122<\/sup> vase-shaped Ulmus<\/em><\/strong> davidiana <\/em><\/strong>var. japonica<\/em><\/strong>: Japanese elm<\/strong>; (formerly listed as Ulmus<\/em> \u2019Discovery\u2019<\/strong>: \u2018JFS-Bieberich\u2019<\/strong>: Emerald \u2018Prospector\u2019<\/strong> UW-Madison Hybrid Elm Introductions<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2018Cathedral\u2019<\/strong>: (hybrid \u2018New Horizon\u2019<\/strong>: (hybrid \u2018Regal\u2019<\/strong>: (complex U.S. National Arboretum Hybrid Elm Introductions (Washington, \u2018Frontier\u2019<\/strong>: (hybrid \u2018Homestead\u2019<\/strong>: (complex \u2018Patriot\u2019<\/strong>: (complex \u2018Pioneer\u2019<\/strong>: (hybrid Morton \u2018Morton\u2019<\/strong>: Accolade\u00ae<\/sup><\/strong>, \u2018Morton Glossy\u2019<\/strong>: Triumph\u2122<\/sup><\/strong>, \u2018Morton \u2018Morton Red Tip\u2019<\/strong>: Danada Charm\u2122<\/sup><\/strong>, \u2018Morton Elm species used in breeding DED resistant elms<\/strong>:<\/p>\n Ulmus americana<\/em>: American elm<\/p>\n Ulmus carpinifolia<\/em>: smoothleaf elm (now called U. minor<\/em>)<\/p>\n Ulmus glabra<\/em>: Scotch elm<\/p>\n Ulmus <\/em>\u00b4 hollandica<\/em>: Dutch Ulmus japonica<\/em>: Japanese elm, (now lumped under U. davidiana<\/em> var. japonica<\/em>)<\/p>\n Ulmus propinqua<\/em>: (now lumped under U. davidiana<\/em> var. japonica<\/em>)<\/p>\n Ulmus wilsoniana<\/em>: (now lumped under U. davidiana<\/em> var. japonica<\/em>)<\/p>\n Ulmus minor<\/em>: smoothleaf elm (formerly U. Ulmus parvifolia<\/em>: lacebark elm<\/p>\n Ulmus pumila<\/em>: Siberian elm<\/p>\n \u2013 Dr. Laura G. Jull, Dept. of Horticulture, UW\u2013Madison<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When it comes to street trees, many of us \u201colder and wiser\u201d folks remember driving down a residential street surrounded by a canopy of American elm trees. However, back in the late 60\u2019s and early 70\u2019s, arborists started removing thousands of dead elms, including my Detroit, Michigan street tree. This moment was a pivotal point […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":31534,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12041],"tags":[21249,21248,13375,9213,21247,2205,13203,13959],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-31533","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arborist","tag-cultivars","tag-ded","tag-disease","tag-dutch","tag-elm","tag-resistant","tag-species","tag-waaisa"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nzone 3-4 (depends on cultivar); height and width vary with cultivar, but the
\nAmerican elm hybrids all have the classic, vase-shaped form; native to eastern
\nand central U.S. and Canada; available cultivars are listed below<\/p>\n
\nhardy to zone 4; 70\u2019 tall, 50\u2019 wide; upright, vase-shaped form, deep green
\nleaves, DED resistant<\/p>\n
\nhardy to zone 4b-5a; 70\u2019 tall and wide; broad, vase-shaped crown with arching
\nbranches; DED resistant<\/p>\n
\nhardy to zone 4; 60-80\u2019 tall, 60-70\u2019 wide; upright, vase-shaped form with
\narching branches, but with wild-looking branches that need training pruning
\nwhen young to develop good form; DED resistant; resistant to elm leaf beetles,
\nbut very susceptible to Japanese beetles<\/p>\n
\nSpirit\u00ae<\/sup><\/strong>, hardy to zone 4; 65\u2019 tall, 50\u2019 wide; vase-shaped
\nform with arching limbs; good branch structure and more symmetrical; DED
\nresistant; J. Frank Schmidt and Son Nursery Introduction<\/p>\n
\nExpedition\u00ae<\/sup><\/strong>, hardy to zone 3a; 55\u2019 tall, 60\u2019 wide;
\nrounded to spreading, vase-shaped form; fast grower; dark green leaves;
\nselection from Fargo, ND; DED resistant; Bailey Nurseries introduction<\/p>\n
\nhardy to zone 4; 60-80\u2019 tall, 40-60\u2019 wide; more upright to vase-shaped form;
\ndoes require shaping pruning when young to develop good branch structure;
\nlarge, leathery leaves; moderately resistant to elm leaf beetles, but very susceptible
\nto Japanese beetles; DED resistant; Princeton Nursery introduction<\/p>\n
\nEditions\u00ae<\/sup> St. Croix\u2122<\/sup><\/strong>, hardy to zone 3; 60-75\u2019
\ntall, 70-90\u2019 wide; broadly vase-shaped to spreading form; dark green leaves;
\nDED resistant; from a Minnesota selection; Bailey Nurseries introduction<\/p>\n
\nnon-American elm species, hybrids and cultivars<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nDavid elm<\/strong>, hardy to zone 4; 60\u2019 tall, 40\u2019 wide; upright,\u00a0<\/p>\n
\nform; vigorous grower; strong branching with wide branch crotch angles; DED and
\nphloem necrosis resistant; resistant to elm leaf beetle and elm leaf miner<\/p>\n
\njaponica,
\nUlmus
\npropinqua
\n<\/em>and Ulmus<\/em> wilsoniana<\/em>;all combined now under U.
\ndavidiana var. japonica<\/em>); cultivars listed below; native to
\nJapan and Asia<\/p>\n\n
![\"Discovery](\"https:\/\/www.waa-isa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/discovery-elm-1-683x1024.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>
\nhardy to zone 4; 35-40\u2019 tall and wide; more upright to vase-shaped, compact
\nform; prone to co-dominant leaders; dark green leaves; DED resistant and
\nresistant to elm leaf beetle; good drought tolerance; selection from Manitoba,
\nCanada<\/p>\n
\nSunshine\u00ae<\/sup><\/strong> (formerly listed as U. propinqua<\/em>): hardy to zone 5; 35\u2019 tall, 25\u2019 wide; vase-shaped
\nform; dark green, glossy, corrugated leaves; DED and phloem necrosis resistant;
\nresistant to elm leaf beetle and Japanese beetles; selected on western Oklahoma
\nplains; J. Frank Schmidt and Son Nursery Introduction<\/p>\n
\n(formerly listed as Ulmus<\/em> wilsoniana<\/em>): hardy to zone 5a; 40\u2019
\ntall, 30\u2019 wide; dense, broad, vase-shaped form with slightly pendulous
\nbranches; vigorous grower that will require shaping pruning to develop good
\nbranch structure; deep green, glossy leaves; DED and phloem necrosis resistant;
\nresistant to elm leaf beetles, but is susceptible to leaf hoppers and Japanese
\nbeetles; U.S. National Arboretum introduction<\/p>\n
\nof U. pumila <\/em>\u00b4 U. japonica<\/em>); hardy to zone 4b-5a; 40-50\u2019 tall, 40-60\u2019 wide; broad,
\nvase-shaped form that becomes more spreading with age; vigorous grower and will
\nrequire shaping pruning to maintain form; prone to included bark formation; larger
\ngreen leaves; DED resistant; susceptible to elm leaf beetles and leaf hoppers<\/p>\n
\nof U. japonica<\/em> \u00b4
\nU. pumila<\/em>); hardy to zone 4; 50-60\u2019
\ntall, 40-50\u2019 wide; upright to vase-shaped form; vigorous grower; wide branch
\ncrotch angles; slightly arching branches; can produce co-dominant leaders;
\nrequires shaping pruning to develop good branch structure; larger, dark green
\nleaves; DED resistant, but some susceptibility to Verticillium wilt; resistant
\nto elm leaf miner, but very susceptible to elm leaf beetles<\/p>\n
\nhybrid of U. carpinifolia<\/em> \u00b4
\n(U. pumila<\/em> \u00b4
\nU.<\/em> \u00b4 hollandica<\/em>),
\nhardy to zone 4; 50-60\u2019 tall, 30-35\u2019 wide; narrow, upright form when young
\nbecoming oval to pyramidal with age with a straight terminal leader and wider
\nbranch crotch angles; it is not vase-shaped; can produce co-dominant leaders; large,
\ndark green leaves; DED resistant, but there was a report in Madison of a
\n\u2018Regal\u2019 elm that died from DED; some susceptibility to elm leaf beetle and
\ncankerworms<\/p>\n
\nD.C.)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
![\"Frontier](\"https:\/\/www.waa-isa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/frontier-elm-683x1024.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>
\nof U. carpinifolia<\/em> \u00b4
\nU. parvifolia<\/em>); hardy to zone 5; 40-50\u2019
\ntall, 30\u2019 wide; broadly oval to vase-shaped form with ascending branches;
\nglossy, dark green, small leaves; showy, deep burgundy fall color late in the
\nseason; gray bark with orange lenticels; DED resistant; moderate resistance to
\nelm leaf beetles; do not bareroot transplant this one due to U. parvifolia as
\none parent<\/p>\n
\nhybrid of U. pumila<\/em> \u00b4
\nU.<\/em> \u00b4 hollandica<\/em>
\n\u00b4
\nU. carpinifolia<\/em>); hardy to zone 4b;
\n55\u2019 tall, 35\u2019 wide; narrow, oval form with upright, arching\u00a0branches; not
\nvase-shaped; vigorous grower; dark green leaves; DED resistant, but there are a
\nfew reports of DED on \u2018Homestead\u2019; very susceptible to elm leaf beetles and elm
\nflea weevils and other leaf feeding insects<\/p>\n
\nhybrid of U. wilsoniana<\/em>, U. pumila<\/em>, U. carpinifolia<\/em>, and U.
\nglabra<\/em>); hardy to zone 4b; 50\u2019 tall, 40\u2019 wide; stiffly upright, to narrow,
\nvase-shaped form with age; dark green, glossy leaves; DED resistant; elm leaf
\nbeetle resistant<\/p>\n
\nof U. glabra<\/em> \u00b4
\nU. carpinifolia<\/em>); hardy to zone 5;
\n50\u2019 tall and wide; rounded form; vigorous grower and will require shaping
\npruning to develop good form; dark green leaves; DED resistant; highly susceptible
\nto elm leaf beetles and other leaf feeding insects<\/p>\n
\nArboretum Hybrid Elm Introductions (Lisle, IL)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
![\"Accolade](\"https:\/\/www.waa-isa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/accolade-elm-2-683x1024.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>
\n(hybrid of U. japonica<\/em> \u00b4
\nU. wilsoniana<\/em>, both now listed as U<\/em>. davidiana<\/em>
\nvar. japonica<\/em>); hardy to zone 4b-5a;
\n50-60\u2019 tall, 30-40\u2019 wide; vase-shaped form with upright, arching branches;
\nvigorous grower and will require shaping pruning to develop good form; glossy,
\ndark green leaves; DED and phloem necrosis resistant; but there were reports in
\nMinnesota of two Accolade\u00ae<\/sup>
\nelms that died from DED, however, an overall excellent rating for DED; moderately
\nresistant to elm leaf beetles, Japanese beetles; good drought tolerance;
\navailable through the Chicagoland Grows Plant Introduction Program<\/p>\n
\n(complex hybrid of Vanguard\u2122<\/sup>
\n\u00b4
\nAccolade\u00ae<\/sup>); hardy to
\nzone 4; 50-60\u2019 tall, 40-50\u2019 wide; oval form with upright, arching branches; vigorous
\ngrower, but easy to train in nursery; very glossy, dark green leaves; DED and
\nphloem necrosis resistant; elm leaf beetle, Japanese beetle and cankerworm
\nresistant; good drought tolerance; available through the Chicagoland Grows
\nPlant Introduction Program; one of the best elms in my opinion<\/p>\n
\nPlainsman\u2019<\/strong>: Vanguard\u2122<\/sup><\/strong>,
\n(hybrid of U. japonica<\/em> \u00b4
\nU. pumila<\/em>); hardy to zone 4; 45-50\u2019
\ntall, 40-50\u2019 wide; rounded form becoming more vase-shaped with age; vigorous
\ngrower and will require shaping pruning to develop good form; dark green
\nleaves; DED and phloem necrosis resistant; susceptible to elm leaf beetles, elm
\nleaf miner, cankerworms and Japanese beetles; good drought tolerance; available
\nthrough the Chicagoland Grows Plant Introduction Program<\/p>\n
\n(complex hybrid of (U. japonica<\/em> \u00b4
\nU. wilsoniana<\/em>) \u00b4
\nU. pumila<\/em>); hardy to zone 4; 60-70\u2019
\ntall; 50-60\u2019 wide; rounded when young becoming vase-shaped with age; vigorous
\ngrower that requires shaping pruning to develop good form; red-tinged, new
\nleaves turn dark green in summer; DED and phloem necrosis resistant;
\nsusceptible to elm leaf and Japanese beetles, cankerworms, and gypsy moth;
\navailable through the Chicagoland Grows Plant Introduction Program<\/p>\n
\nStalwart\u2019<\/strong>: Commendation\u2122<\/sup><\/strong>,
\n(complex hybrid of Accolade\u2122<\/sup>
\n\u00b4
\n(U. pumila<\/em> \u00b4
\nU. carpinifolia<\/em>); hardy to zone
\n4b-5a; 50-60\u2019 tall, 40-50\u2019 wide; upright, oval form; symmetrical, arching
\nbranches; vigorous grower; large, dark green leaves; DED resistant; susceptible
\nto elm leaf and Japanese beetles and gypsy moth; good drought tolerance; available
\nthrough the Chicagoland Grows Plant Introduction Program<\/p>\n
\nelm (hybrid of U<\/em>. carpinifolia<\/em> \u00b4
\nU<\/em>. glabra<\/em>)
\ncarpinifolia<\/em>)<\/p>\n