Page "Elm" Paragraph 44

From the 18th century to the early 20th century, elms were among the most widely planted ornamental trees in both Europe and North America.

They were particularly popular as a street tree in avenue plantings in towns and cities, creating high-tunnelled effects.

Their tolerance of air-pollution and the comparatively rapid decomposition of their leaf-litter in the fall were further advantages.

In North America, the species most commonly planted was the American elm ( Ulmus americana ), which had unique properties that made it ideal for such use: rapid growth, adaptation to a broad range of climates and soils, strong wood, resistance to wind damage, and vase-like growth habit requiring minimal pruning.

In Europe, the wych elm ( U. glabra ) and the smooth-leaved elm ( U. minor var.

minor ) were the most widely planted in the countryside, with the former in northern areas including Scandinavia and northern Britain ), and the latter further south.

The hybrid between these two, Dutch elm ( U. × hollandica ), occurs naturally and was also commonly planted.

In much of England, it was the English elm ( Ulmus procera ) which later came to dominate the horticultural landscape.

Most commonly planted in hedgerows, the English elm sometimes occurred in densities of over 1000 per square kilometre.

In Australia, large numbers of English elms, as well as other species and cultivars, were planted as ornamentals following their introduction in the 19th century.

From about 1850 to 1920, the most prized small ornamental elm in parks and gardens was the Camperdown elm ( Ulmus glabra ' Camperdownii '), a contorted weeping cultivar of the Wych Elm grafted onto a non-weeping elm trunk to give a wide, spreading and weeping fountain shape in large garden spaces.