2018/02/01 by Jason Griffin, William R. Jacobi · 1 citation
Environmental Science · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Forest Insect Ecology and Management #Plant and Fungal Interactions Research #Plant Pathogens and Fungal Diseases #Dutch elm disease #Ulmus pumila #Ulmaceae #Cultivar #Biology #Horticulture #Trunk #Botany
paper · doi:10.17660/actahortic.2018.1191.5
openalex publication_date 2018/02/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29
Ulmus americana (American elm) was an important urban tree in North America prior to the introduction of the Dutch elm disease (Ophiostoma ulmi and O. novo-ulmi) pathogen in 1930. Subsequently, urban and community forests were devastated by the loss of the large canopies. Disease tolerant elms (Ulmus spp.) of various species were later developed; however, consumer acceptance of these trees was slow. The goal of the National Elm Trial was to evaluate newer cultivars of elm across the United States. Trees were monitored for survival and growth for 7 to 10 years at 16 different locations. 'Morton' elm had >90% survival, while 13 cultivars averaged 70 to 90%, and five cultivars ranged from 25 to 69% survival. Trunk diameter growth by location ranged from 0.5 cm year-1 at Colorado to more than 2.0 cm year-1 at Iowa. By taxa, trunk diameter growth ranged from a low of 'JFS Bieberich' elm (0.7 cm year-1) to a high of 'New Horizon' elm (1.7 cm year-1). The fastest height growth was found with the American elm cultivars 'New Harmony' and 'Princeton' (0.63 and 0.61 m year-1, respectively).