There are a number of elms I have come across in my survey work that don't readily fall
into any of the previously mentioned categories:-
a) Elms planted in the arboretum at the White House, Woodford Green. Sir Stuart Mallinson
(1973) lists the following elms in the arboretum:
Ulmus procera 'Louis van Houtte'
A Golden English Elm planted on 25.6.1968 by Woodford Cricket Club (the
second oldest club in the U.K.) to commemorate the Golden Wedding of Sir Stuart
and Lady Mallinson in 1966.
Ulmus glabra 'Pendula'
A weeping Wych Elm planted by General L. L. Lemnitzer (Supreme Commander
Allied Forces, Europe, 1963) on 6.6.1967. This is the Camperdown Elm, and
became fashionable in the late 19th century.
Ulmus americana L.
American Elm, planted to mirror those in the White House Arboretum,
'Presidents' Grove, Washington D.C.
I don't know the fate of these trees. I imagine Dutch Elm Disease has taken its toll; American
Elm in particular is susceptible. The White House itself was gutted by fire in 1983.
b) There is a small plantation of elms on the Woodredon Estate (formerly administered by the
Greater London Council, since 1986 by the Conservators of Epping Forest) at TL 420003. I
have been informed these are an Asiatic Elm, planted by the G.L.C. as potentially resistant to
Dutch Elm Disease. There are about sixty trees planted in four rows about 10 ft. apart. The
trees are now about 10 ft. high. The species involved is possibly Ulmus pumila L., Siberian
Elm, from the shape and size of the leaves. They may also be the tree mentioned in (d). Ulmus
pumila is apparently, not resistant to Dutch Elm Disease (Wilkinson, 1978).
c) At South Woodford there are two medium sized elms by the main road at TQ 402896. In
most respects they conform to the U. minor group, but the leaves are rather scabrid. Both trees
contracted Dutch Elm Disease in 1989; the only evidence I saw of this disease in elms in 1989.
A leaf is illustrated on p. 16
d) Following the loss of over 15 million elm trees in Britain and millions more across Europe
during the 1970s, Pitney Bowes plc launched the 'Elms across Europe' scheme in 1979 to
encourage industry and commerce to plant new trees specially developed for their resistance to
Dutch Elm Disease. A tree was chosen and developed by Professor Eugene Smalley of the
University of Wisconsin and the first British planting of the trees was made at the Pitney Bowes
headquarters at Harlow in 1979, followed in 1980 by plantings at Windsor by H.R.H. The Duke
of Edinburgh and at Hyde Park. Since 1979 many thousands of the trees have been planted in
Britain. The tree selected from the many elm types screened for resistance to Dutch Elm Disease
was 'Sapporo Autumn Gold', which was a result of the open pollination of U. pumila in Japan.
This is thought to be an Fl hybrid of U. pumila with U. japonica (Syn. U. davidiana var.
japonica). It can reach 40 ft. in height in 15 years and has a densely foliated, upright,
vase-shaped crown. The mature leaves are dark green, turning pale yellow in autumn. Another
elm close to English Elm but resistant to elm disease is set to be introduced to Britain by the
same group.
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