Ulmus glabra 'Lutescens'

The Wych Elm cultivar Ulmus glabra 'Lutescens', commonly known as the Golden Wych Elm, arose as a sport of a wych found in the York area in the early 19th century by W. Pontey of Pontey's nursery, Kirkheaton, Huddersfield, who propagated and distributed it. The original tree he named the Gallows Elm for its proximity to a gallows near York. Loudon in The Gardener's Magazine (1839) identified it as a form of Ulmus montana (:U. glabra Huds.), adding 'Lutescens' by analogy with Corstorphine sycamore, Acer pseudoplatanus 'Lutescens'.[1][2]

Ulmus glabra 'Lutescens'
'Lutescens' (felled c. 2005), Vinkeleskade, Amsterdam.
SpeciesUlmus glabra
Cultivar'Lutescens'
OriginEngland

For a time the tree was known in nurseries both in Europe and America as U. americana aurea, probably on account of its shape, and for marketing reasons.[3][4][5]

Not to be confused with two other popular cultivars named 'Golden Elm', Ulmus × hollandica 'Wredei' and Ulmus 'Louis van Houtte'.

Description

A medium-sized, fast-growing deciduous tree that reaches a height of approximately 15 m with a spread of about 20 m. In its first years, the tree is vase-shaped, but spreads as it matures to form a rounded canopy. The hue of the leaves varies according to light intensity: where exposed to full sunlight the leaves are bright yellow, but in shade no more than a lime green. 'Lutescens' is arguably the best of the golden elm cultivars since it keeps its colour as it ages.

  • 'Lutescens', Hillier Arboretum (August 2007)
  • 'Lutescens' leaves
  • Dried long-shoot leaves of young 'Lutescens' (August)
  • Bole

Pests and diseases

The cultivar is not known to be any less susceptible to Dutch elm disease than the species. It is highly susceptible to the elm leaf beetle Xanthogaleruca luteola .

Cultivation

'Lutescens' was once commonly planted in the UK, and remains in cultivation there and in Europe. It was marketed in the late 19th century as U. montana lutescens by the Späth nursery of Berlin[6] and by the Ulrich nursery of Warsaw,[7] whence it was introduced to Eastern Europe, where it may still survive. It was introduced to the Dominion Arboretum, Ottawa, Canada, probably from Späth, in 1897, as U. montana lutescens.[8] Introduced to Australia and New Zealand[9] in the early 1900s (it has been widely planted in south-east Australia),[10] it remains in cultivation in those countries as Golden Elm,[11] often being grafted on to Ulmus parvifolia rootstock.[9] In Australasia 'Lutescens' has sometimes been mistakenly sold by nurseries under the name 'Louis van Houtte', a smaller-leaved golden elm.[12]

Notable trees

There are two notable TROBI Champion trees in England, at Pickering Park, Anlaby, measuring 16 m high by 79 cm d.b.h. in 2004, and in Dyke Road Place, Brighton, 16 m high by 76 cm d.b.h. in 2006.[13] In Australia notable specimens grow in Williamstown Botanic Gardens, Williamstown, Victoria,[14][15] in Howard Vineyard, Nairne, South Australia,[16][17] and at 'Poacher's Pantry', Hall, Canberra,[18] and there is a mature tree in the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, Hobart.[19][20]

Synonymy

  • Ulmus americana aurea: Calmphtout Nursery, Belgium, in error.[3][4]
  • Ulmus campestris lutescens: Dieck, (Zöschen, Germany), Haupt-catalog der Obst- und gehölzbaumschulen des ritterguts Zöschen bei Merseburg 1885, p. 81.
  • Ulmus campestris 'Lutescens': Boom, Nederlandse Dendrologie 1: 157, 1959.

  • Ulmus scabra f. lutescens Dipp..[21]
  • Ulmus macrophylla aurea: Kelsey's of N.Y., 1904 cat.[22]

Accessions

Europe

Australasia

Nurseries

Europe

Widely available.

Australasia

References
  1. The Gardener's Magazine, 1839, vol.5, p. 449
  2. Elwes, Henry John; Henry, Augustine (1913). The Trees of Great Britain & Ireland. 7. p. 1868.
  3. Elwes, Henry John; Henry, Augustine (1913). The Trees of Great Britain & Ireland. 7. p. 1868.
  4. F. J., Fontaine (1968). "Ulmus". Dendroflora. 5: 37–55. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  5. Bobbink and Atkins nursery, Rutherford, New Jersey, 1909 catalogue, p.50
  6. Katalog (PDF). 108. Berlin, Germany: L. Späth Baumschulenweg. 1902–1903. pp. 132–133.
  7. Ulrich, C. (1894), Katalog Drzew i Krezewow, C. Ulrich, Rok 1893-94, Warszawa
  8. Saunders, William; Macoun, William Tyrrell (1899). Catalogue of the trees and shrubs in the arboretum and botanic gardens at the central experimental farm (2 ed.). pp. 74–75.
  9. Wilcox, Mike; Inglis, Chris (2003). "Auckland's elms" (PDF). Auckland Botanical Society Journal. Auckland Botanical Society. 58 (1): 38–45.
  10. Lefoe, Gregory K., 'Elms Trees', emelbourne.net.au
  11. Rowell, Raymond J. (1982). Ornamental Flowering Trees in Australia, AH & AW Reed Pty Ltd ISBN 0-589-50178-X
  12. Spencer, R., Hawker, J. and Lumley, P. (1991). Elms in Australia. Australia: Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne.
  13. Johnson, O. (2011). Champion Trees of Britain & Ireland, p. 169. Kew Publishing, Kew, London. ISBN 9781842464526.
  14. 'Lutescens' in Williamstown Botanic Gardens, Victoria: tripadvisor.com
  15. 'Lutescens' in Williamstown Botanic Gardens, Victoria: weekendnotes.com
  16. https://mcfuzzlebuttsmanchen.wordpress.com/2014/12/02/wrap-up-cellar-door-festival-launch-regional-experience/
  17. https://mcfuzzlebuttsmanchen.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/img_1998-wordpress.jpg
  18. Golden Elm, Poacher's Pantry, Canberra: weekendnotes.com
  19. 'Lutescens' in Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, Hobart, gomagoti flickr.com
  20. 'Lutescens' in Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, Hobart, by Roger T Wong, flickr.com
  21. Krüssman, Gerd, Manual of Cultivated Broad-Leaved Trees & Shrubs (1984 vol. 3)
  22. Frederick W. Kelsey, General Catalogue, no.52, N.Y., 1904, p.17
  23. "List of plants in the {elm} collection". Brighton & Hove City Council. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
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