The Higher Plants of Hylands Park
Special Studies
The Elms (Ulmus spp. and hybrids)
Hylands has a good list of elm taxa. It would probably be one of the best sites to undertake a DNA-
based study of elms, because of this diversity within a relatively small area. Despite the presence of
Dutch Elm Disease since the 1970s (and still active in the park) there arc quite a number of mature
'identifiable' elms, although none of these are sizeable specimens. Much of this diversity, I suspect,
is through deliberate planting rather than natural occurrence. Obvious plantings are the avenue that
existed near the Margaretting Gate - the suckers of the English Elms that grew here still survive in
two straight lines either side of what was, at one time, a public road. English Elm was a fashionable
planted tree of the first half of the 19th century. Other plantings must include the Dutch Elm in Ice-
House plantation and the probable Huntingdon Elm in the formal gardens (a fashion tree of 1890 -
1920). Other elms must be of planted origin in the Home Farm, Swan Pond and River Wid plantations
and also the formal gardens area. Native elms - notably Wych Elm - occur in South Wood. There
are a number of obviously very old Wych Elm stools here. A probable Wych/East Anglian hybrid
occurs in the Green Lanc. Wych elm also occurs as presumably a planted tree in the formal gardens.
The accompanying leaf silhouettes indicate the location of some of the park's elms.
Elms Recorded at Hylands
Wych Elm (Ulmus glabra)
English Elm (Ulmus procera)
East Anglian Elm (Ulmus minor 'sensu lato' in a least three forms)
Hybrid Elms: Ulmus x hollandica (Dutch Elm)
Ulmus x vegeta (Huntingdon Elm)?
Ulmus glabra x minor (naturally occurring)
Recent Elm: Ulmus 'Sapporo Autumn Gold'
Ulmus 'Sapporo Autumn Gold' occurs as two trees in the arboretum, planted at the north margin of
Writtle Hills. The tree is thought to be a hybrid between Ulmus pumila and Ulmus japonica. The
trees were supplied by Pitney Bowes of Harlow as part of their 'Elms across Europe' campaign of
the 1980s, to replace elms killed by Dutch Elm Disease with a disease-resistant tree.
Essex Parks: Section 2 - Hylands Park
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