Ulmus americana 'Princeton'
Encyclopedia
The American Elm
Ulmus americana cultivar 'Princeton' was originally selected in 1922 by New Jersey
nurseryman William Flemer for its aesthetic merit. By coincidence, 'Princeton' was later found to have a resistance to Dutch elm disease
, which has prompted renewed interest in its cultivation on both sides of the Atlantic.
. The tree commences flowering aged nine years.
, although the original Princeton Elm, which grew in Princeton Cemetery and was estimated to be over 150 years old, was felled in April 2005 after suffering 60% dieback, attributed by some accounts to Dutch Elm Disease http://www.landscapeelms.com/NL%20SUMMER-05.pdf.
Princeton Elms planted in North America are highly prone to leaf damage by Japanese beetles Popillia japonica . Trees grown in the UK have also proven very susceptible to damage by leaf-feeding insects, far more so than native or Asiatic elms. Henry
noted that such damage was common to all American Elm Ulmus americana grown in the UK . Trees grown in northern California at U C Davis became infested with leaf curling aphids (Eriosoma), producing copious amounts of honeydew
.
Leaves of young trees grown in southern England have remained free of fungal infections such as Rhytisma
.
; most of these trees survive to this day http://www.botanyshop.com/OtherItems/PrincetonElmGallery/PrincetonElmGallery.htm unaffected by disease. The cultivar was more recently chosen to replace elms killed by disease along Pennsylvania Avenue
in front of the White House
. 'Princeton' is currently being evaluated in the USA as part of the National Elm Trial
coordinated by Colorado State University
http://treehealth.agsci.colostate.edu/research/nationalelmtrial/NET_Cultivars.htm.
The tree has also been reintroduced to the UK.http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1102684/New-species-elm-tree-introduced-Britain-replace-millions-lost-disease.html In 2004 three specimens were planted in the gardens of Worcester College, Oxford
; Penelope Hobhouse
ordered two specimens from the New York Botanical Gardens for planting at her family home, Hadspen
, in Somerset
. Two years later, 'Princeton' was selected by HRH The Prince of Wales to create the Anniversary Avenue at his residence Highgrove House, from the Orchard Room reception centre to the Golden Bird statue at the boundary of the garden. The tree has also featured in elm trials conducted by Butterfly Conservation
in Hampshire
, England
. In 2009, 100 Princetons were planted in Phoenix Park
, Dublin, to replace some of the 2000 native elms lost to Dutch elm disease since the 1980s.http://www.hortweek.com/news/bulletin/dailybulletin/article/879799/?DCMP=EMC.
'Princeton' was deemed in need of relatively high pruning requirement in the trials at U C Davis.
American Elm
Ulmus americana, generally known as the American Elm or, less commonly, as the White Elm or Water Elm, is a species native to eastern North America, occurring from Nova Scotia west to Alberta and Montana, and south to Florida and central Texas. The American elm is an extremely hardy tree that can...
Ulmus americana cultivar 'Princeton' was originally selected in 1922 by New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
nurseryman William Flemer for its aesthetic merit. By coincidence, 'Princeton' was later found to have a resistance to Dutch elm disease
Dutch elm disease
Dutch elm disease is a disease caused by a member of the sac fungi category, affecting elm trees which is spread by the elm bark beetle. Although believed to be originally native to Asia, the disease has been accidentally introduced into America and Europe, where it has devastated native...
, which has prompted renewed interest in its cultivation on both sides of the Atlantic.
Description
The tree can grow to > 30 m in height, and is distinguished by its dense, symmetrical, upright form and dark green foliage, ultimately forming a broad umbrella crown. Crotch angles can be acute, with considerable bark inclusion which can lead to branch breakages. The leaves are < 16 cm long by 8 cm broad. 'Princeton' grows quickly, young trees increasing in height by over 1.6 m per annum (d.b.h. by 2.8 cm p.a.) in an assessment at U C Davis as part of the National Elm TrialNational Elm Trial
The National Elm Trial is an American volunteer effort to evaluate a range of newly developed elm cultivars as replacements for elms destroyed by Dutch elm disease...
. The tree commences flowering aged nine years.
Pests and diseases
Testing in laboratory conditions by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in 1992-1993 revealed that this cultivar has a resistance to Dutch elm diseaseDutch elm disease
Dutch elm disease is a disease caused by a member of the sac fungi category, affecting elm trees which is spread by the elm bark beetle. Although believed to be originally native to Asia, the disease has been accidentally introduced into America and Europe, where it has devastated native...
, although the original Princeton Elm, which grew in Princeton Cemetery and was estimated to be over 150 years old, was felled in April 2005 after suffering 60% dieback, attributed by some accounts to Dutch Elm Disease http://www.landscapeelms.com/NL%20SUMMER-05.pdf.
Princeton Elms planted in North America are highly prone to leaf damage by Japanese beetles Popillia japonica . Trees grown in the UK have also proven very susceptible to damage by leaf-feeding insects, far more so than native or Asiatic elms. Henry
Augustine Henry
Augustine Henry was an Irish plantsman and sinologist. He is best known for sending over 15,000 dry specimens and seeds and 500 plant samples to Kew Gardens in the United Kingdom. By 1930, he was a recognised authority and was honoured with society membership in Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Finland,...
noted that such damage was common to all American Elm Ulmus americana grown in the UK . Trees grown in northern California at U C Davis became infested with leaf curling aphids (Eriosoma), producing copious amounts of honeydew
Honeydew (secretion)
Honeydew is a sugar-rich sticky liquid, secreted by aphids and some scale insects as they feed on plant sap. When their mouthpart penetrates the phloem, the sugary, high-pressure liquid is forced out of the gut's terminal opening. Honeydew is particularly common as a secretion in the Hemipteran...
.
Leaves of young trees grown in southern England have remained free of fungal infections such as Rhytisma
Rhytisma
Rhytisma is a genus of fungi in the Rhytismataceae family commonly known as 'tar spot'. There are about 18 species, which live parasitically in the leaves of deciduous trees.-Species:*Rhytisma acerinum*Rhytisma andromedae...
.
Cultivation
Examples of 'Princeton' were planted along Washington Road and another road in PrincetonPrinceton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
; most of these trees survive to this day http://www.botanyshop.com/OtherItems/PrincetonElmGallery/PrincetonElmGallery.htm unaffected by disease. The cultivar was more recently chosen to replace elms killed by disease along Pennsylvania Avenue
Pennsylvania Avenue
Pennsylvania Avenue is a street in Washington, D.C. that joins the White House and the United States Capitol. Called "America's Main Street", it is the location of official parades and processions, as well as protest marches...
in front of the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
. 'Princeton' is currently being evaluated in the USA as part of the National Elm Trial
National Elm Trial
The National Elm Trial is an American volunteer effort to evaluate a range of newly developed elm cultivars as replacements for elms destroyed by Dutch elm disease...
coordinated by Colorado State University
Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a public research university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The university is the state's land grant university, and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System.The enrollment is approximately 29,932 students, including resident and...
http://treehealth.agsci.colostate.edu/research/nationalelmtrial/NET_Cultivars.htm.
The tree has also been reintroduced to the UK.http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1102684/New-species-elm-tree-introduced-Britain-replace-millions-lost-disease.html In 2004 three specimens were planted in the gardens of Worcester College, Oxford
Worcester College, Oxford
Worcester College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. The college was founded in the eighteenth century, but its predecessor on the same site had been an institution of learning since the late thirteenth century...
; Penelope Hobhouse
Penelope Hobhouse
Penelope Hobhouse is a garden writer, designer, lecturer and television presenter.-Background:...
ordered two specimens from the New York Botanical Gardens for planting at her family home, Hadspen
Hadspen house and garden
Hadspen house and garden is an estate between Pitcombe and Ansford, Somerset.Hadspen House was purchased before 1747 by Vickris Dickinson, and then sold in 1767 to Charles Medows and subsequently to John Ford who in 1785 sold it to Henry Hobhouse...
, in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
. Two years later, 'Princeton' was selected by HRH The Prince of Wales to create the Anniversary Avenue at his residence Highgrove House, from the Orchard Room reception centre to the Golden Bird statue at the boundary of the garden. The tree has also featured in elm trials conducted by Butterfly Conservation
Butterfly Conservation
Butterfly Conservation is an insect conservation organisation in the United Kingdom. It is one of the largest insect conservation organisations in the world.-History of the Organisation:...
in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. In 2009, 100 Princetons were planted in Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park is an urban park in Dublin, Ireland, lying 2–4 km west of the city centre, north of the River Liffey. Its 16 km perimeter wall encloses , one of the largest walled city parks in Europe. It includes large areas of grassland and tree-lined avenues, and since the seventeenth...
, Dublin, to replace some of the 2000 native elms lost to Dutch elm disease since the 1980s.http://www.hortweek.com/news/bulletin/dailybulletin/article/879799/?DCMP=EMC.
'Princeton' was deemed in need of relatively high pruning requirement in the trials at U C Davis.
North America
- Arnold Arboretum. Acc. nos. 352-91, 561-89.
- Bartlett Tree Experts. Acc. nos. 2001-249, 2001-250, 2001-251, 2001-484, 2001-485, 2003-964.
- Brentwood, PennsylvaniaBrentwood, PennsylvaniaBrentwood is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 9,643 at the 2010 census.-Geography and climate:Brentwood is located at ....
Arboretum. 11 specimens planted as street trees along educational campus, no acc. details available. - Dawes ArboretumDawes ArboretumThe Dawes Arboretum is a non-profit arboretum located outside of Columbus in Newark, Ohio. As one of the premier public gardens in North America, The Dawes Arboretum has over of plant collections, gardens and natural areas...
http://www.dawesarb.org/collectionsgardens/plant-search.asp, NewarkNewark, OhioIn addition, the remains of a road leading south from the Octagon have been documented and explored. It was first surveyed in the 19th century, when its walls were more apparent. Called the Great Hopewell Road, it may extend to the Hopewell complex at Chillicothe, Ohio...
, OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. 2 trees, no acc. details available. - Holden ArboretumHolden ArboretumThe Holden Arboretum, in Kirtland, Ohio, USA, is one of the largest arboretums and botanical gardens in the United States, with over 3,500 acres , 600 acres of which are devoted to collections and gardens. Diverse natural areas and ecologically sensitive habitats make up the rest of the holdings...
. Acc. nos. 2002-435, 2003-174, 56-908. - Longwood GardensLongwood GardensLongwood Gardens consists of over 1,077 acres of gardens, woodlands, and meadows in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, United States in the Brandywine Creek Valley...
. Acc. nos. 2000-0362, 2002-0414, 2003-0032, 2004-0675. - Morton ArboretumMorton ArboretumThe Morton Arboretum, in Lisle, Illinois, covers 1,700 acres and is made up of gardens of various plant types and collections of trees from specific taxonomical and geographical areas. It includes native woodlands and a restored Illinois prairie. The Arboretum has over 4,100 different species of...
. Acc. no. 125-2008. - U S National ArboretumUnited States National ArboretumThe United States National Arboretum is an arboretum in Washington, D.C., operated by the United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service as a division of the Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center...
http://www.usna.usda.gov/index.htm, Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, USA. Acc. no. 57842
Europe
- Brighton & HoveBrighton & HoveBrighton and Hove is a unitary authority area and city on the south coast of England. It is England's most populous seaside resort.In 1997 Brighton and Hove were joined to form the unitary authority of Brighton and Hove, which was granted city status by Queen Elizabeth II as part of the millennium...
City Council, NCCPG Elm Collection http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/index.cfm?request=c1108042, UK. - Grange Farm ArboretumGrange Farm ArboretumThe Grange Farm Arboretum is a small private arboretum comprising 3 hectares accommodating over 800 trees, mostly native and ornamental species or cultivars, notably oaks, ashes, walnuts and elms, growing on a calcareous loam....
, Sutton St. James, SpaldingSpalding, LincolnshireSpalding is a market town with a population of 30,000 on the River Welland in the South Holland district of Lincolnshire, England. Little London is a hamlet directly south of Spalding on the B1172 road....
, Lincs. UK. Acc. no. 697. - Great Fontley Farm, FarehamFarehamThe market town of Fareham lies in the south east of Hampshire, England, between the cities of Southampton and Portsmouth, roughly in the centre of the South Hampshire conurbation.It gives its name to the borough comprising the town and the surrounding area...
, UK, Butterfly ConservationButterfly ConservationButterfly Conservation is an insect conservation organisation in the United Kingdom. It is one of the largest insect conservation organisations in the world.-History of the Organisation:...
Elm Trials plantation, Home Field C1, (planted 2004). - Royal Horticultural SocietyRoyal Horticultural SocietyThe Royal Horticultural Society was founded in 1804 in London, England as the Horticultural Society of London, and gained its present name in a Royal Charter granted in 1861 by Prince Albert...
Gardens, WisleyWisleyWisley is a small village in Surrey, England. It lies between Cobham and Woking. It is the home of the Royal Horticultural Society's Wisley Garden. The River Wey runs through the village....
, UK. Planted bed WA 0201, c.2002. - 'The Leys', University Parks, Oxford, UK. Three specimens. No accession details available.
North America
- Carlton Plants, LLC http://www.carltonplants.com/, Dayton, OregonDayton, OregonDayton is a city in Yamhill County, Oregon, United States. The population was 2,119 at the 2000 census. As of July 2007 its estimated population was 2,495.-History:...
. - Charles Fiore Nurseries, Prairie ViewPrairie View, IllinoisPrairie View is an unincorporated town located in the northeastern area of the state of Illinois, in southern Lake County. It is considered to be part of the Vernon Township...
, IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. - Johnson Farms, http://www.johnsonfarmsinc.com, Deerfield, New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. - Princeton Nurseries http://www.princetonnurseries.com/, AllentownAllentown, New JerseyAllentown is a Borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 1,828.Allentown was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on January 29, 1889, from portions of Upper Freehold Township, based on the...
, New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware... - Riveredge Farms http://www.americanelm.com/our_trees.html, Atlanta, Georgia
- Sharp Top Trees http://www.sharptoptree.com, WhiteWhiteWhite is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive cone cells in the human eye in nearly equal amounts and with high brightness compared to the surroundings. A white visual stimulation will be void of hue and grayness.White light can be...
, Georgia - Sunshine Nursery http://www.sunshinenursery.com/catalogue.htm, ClintonClinton, OklahomaClinton is a city in Custer and Washita counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population was 9,033 at the 2010 census.-History:The community began in 1899 when two men, J.L. Avant and E.E...
, OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state... - The Botany Shop Garden Center http://www.botanyshop.com/ValleyForge.htm, MissouriMissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
Europe
- Barcham Trees http://barcham.co.uk/taxonomy/term/94, ElyEly, CambridgeshireEly is a cathedral city in Cambridgeshire, England, 14 miles north-northeast of Cambridge and about by road from London. It is built on a Lower Greensand island, which at a maximum elevation of is the highest land in the Fens...
, Cambs.CambridgeshireCambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
, UK - Knoll Gardens http://www.knollgardens.co.uk, Wimborne, DorsetDorsetDorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, UK
External links
- http://www.elmpost.org/2003-03.htm Photograph from 2002 of Princeton elms lining Washington Road in Princeton, New Jersey.