Ok so last time I self-triggered on elm tree hate. What should we call a dislike for a tree species based on past experience with a bad tree choice that just happens to share nothing but the name? Racism doesn’t fit and treeism isn’t a word…
Anyway, the modern elms that I grow ARE NOT YOUR GRANDFATHER’S ELMS! Let’s talk about that. Many of the elms we hate on are Siberian Elms, or Ulmus pumila. These are native to, you guessed it, places like Siberia, Mongolia, far east Russia and northern China to name a few.
They were brought to North America in the early 1900s but the name Siberian Elm does appear in nursery catalogs from the 1890s. Its spread was encouraged by the USDA because it’s rapid growth and tolerance to drought and poor soils seemed to make it a good choice in the Dust Bowl days and after. Check out the Wikipedia page on Ulmus pumila, which is where most of this data comes from. Makes for some interesting reading! Now, in defense of the Siberian Elm, a fast-growing tree that could tolerate poor conditions must have seemed like a God send in the post Dust Bowl days. We can’t blame those folks for planting what seemed like a good choice. It’s only with 80+ years of hindsight that we know the many problems inherent with this choice of elm. They are at risk for frost damage, have poor shapes and bad growth habits, are weak and brittle. Just not a good tree. Now, let’s contrast that with the varieties that I grow. And note that there are excellent elm varieties I don’t grow, simply because I can’t grow them all. So many trees, so little time…
American Elm, or Ulmus americana specifically, the Jefferson Elm. The original specie is not terribly resistant to Dutch Elm disease, but many of the hybrids or cultivars like the Jefferson have been bred to show good resistance. The Jefferson is a large tree, with a quoted height and spread of 70×50’. Its dark green leaf and spreading vase shape make it a majestic, old fashioned looking tree that provides excellent shade in the summer and stunning yellow fall color. It also boasts a very energetic growth rate. I’ve seen them do better than 3’ per year. Every farm yard needs several! Other varieties of note include the Colonial Spirit, New Harmony, and Valley Forge to name a few.
Frontier Elm, or Ulmus ‘Frontier’ is a Ulmus minor, Ulmus parvifolia hybrid. Similar in physical appearance to the Allee or lacebark elm, the Frontier is a slightly smaller tree with a quoted height of 40-50’ and a 30’ spread. I chose the Frontier for its disease resistance and lovely purple fall color. It has a more upright oval to vase shaped canopy with smaller glossy green leaves. I feel like it has exceptionally hard wood, at least it is difficult to trim with a small hand pruner! It doesn’t grow quite as quickly as a Jefferson, but its slightly smaller size makes it an excellent fit in any yard.
So, if you want to avoid a slightly offended tirade from me the next time I hear someone hate on elms, just remember that these are not the same elm we have all come to dislike, especially after an ice storm. In the spirit of tolerance and education in these modern times, I’d ask you to consider an elm the next time you’re planting trees!
Whew, feels good to get that out there! I may have to do more tree defense articles… Logan
