Ulmus 'Morton Glossy' Explained

Ulmus 'Morton Glossy'
Genus:	Ulmus
Cultivar:	'Morton Glossy' =
Origin:	US

Ulmus 'Morton Glossy' (selling name) is a hybrid cultivar raised by the Morton Arboretum, Illinois. Originally named 'Charisma' until it was realized that name had already been registered for another plant, the tree was derived from a crossing of two other hybrid cultivars grown at the Morton: and . Tested in the US National Elm Trial coordinated by Colorado State University, https://web.archive.org/web/20080226012323/http://treehealth.agsci.colostate.edu/research/nationalelmtrial/NET_Cultivars.htm averaged a survival rate of 86% after 10 years.^[1] was introduced to the UK in 2006 by the Frank P. Matthews nursery in Worcestershire.^[2]

Description

has been promoted in the United States as "strong and symmetrical" in growth and habit http://www.naplants.com/elms.htm . However, its performance in the southern United States has not impressed, and it was dismissed as "ugly" by Michael Dirr, Professor of Horticulture at the University of Georgia http://www.greenbeam.com/rs/nm_pdfs/16338_013.pdf, on account of its "wild" growth and splaying branches. It is similar in stature to the American Elm and has leaves that are a deep glossy green when mature, < 10 cm in length by 5 cm broad, with rough upper surface and finely toothed margins. The samara is comparatively small, < 10 mm long by 8 mm wide, the seed central. In trials in the UK, was found to be the first elm cultivar to flush in spring, and the first to shed its leaves in the fall, usually by early October. The tree grew poorly on thin soils over clay, which became very dry in summer, but excelled on floodplain alluvium subjected to brief periods of inundation in winter.^[2]

Pests and diseases

has a resistance to Dutch elm disease, but is highly susceptible to attack by elm leaf beetle Xanthogaleruca luteola http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Xanthogaleruca_luteola ^[3] http://www.fs.fed.us/psw/programs/cufr/products/CUFR_780_Elm_trials_2009.pdf and Japanese beetle.^{[4] [5]}

Cultivation

In commerce, is usually propagated by grafting onto an Ulmus pumila rootstock. The tree, under its original name of 'Charisma', featured in the elm trials http://www.for.nau.edu/cms/content/view/512/706/ conducted by Northern Arizona University at Holbrook, eastern Arizona. is very cold-hardy; in artificial freezing tests at the arboretum ^[6] the LT50 (temp. at which 50% of tissues die) was found to be −40 °C.

The tree is currently being evaluated in the National Elm Trialhttps://web.archive.org/web/20080226012323/http://treehealth.agsci.colostate.edu/research/nationalelmtrial/NET_Cultivars.htm coordinated by Colorado State University. was briefly in commerce in the UK, where 180 trees were sold in 2006; several specimens were acquired for assessment by Butterfly Conservation in Hampshire.^[2]

Synonymy

• 'Charisma': initial name accorded until 1995.

Accessions

North America

• Arnold Arboretum, US. Acc. no. 132 - 2002
• Bartlett Tree Experts, US. Acc. nos. 2001 - 104, 2001 - 105
• Bickelhaupt Arboretum, US. Acc. no. 02 - 038
• Chicago Botanic Garden, US. Planted in the Parking Lots, no other details available.
• Dawes Arboretum https://web.archive.org/web/20071025005915/http://www.dawesarb.org/collectionsgardens/plant-search.asp, US. 3 trees. No acc. details available.
• Morton Arboretum, US. Acc. nos. 135 - 94,^[7] 523 - 99, 212 - 2004, 497 - 2004, 630 - 2004, 1090 - 2004.
• Parker Arboretum, US. No acc. details.
• University of Idaho Arboretum, US. Two trees. Acc. no. 2000091

Europe

• Grange Farm Arboretum, UK. Acc. details not known.
• Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, UK. Acc. no: 2007.0260
• Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, UK. Acc. no. 20070379

Nurseries

North America

• Acorn Farms http://www.acornfarms.com/acornfarmscontactus.htm, Galena, Ohio, US.
• Bailey Nurseries http://www.baileynurseries.com/, St. Paul, Minnesota, US.
• Carlton Plants, LLC http://www.carltonplants.com, Dayton, Oregon, US.
• Charles J. Fiore http://www.cjfiore.com/rcat/searchplants.asp?page=1, Prairie View, Illinois, US.
• J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. http://www.jfschmidt.com/index.html, Boring, Oregon, US.
• Johnson's Nursery http://www.johnsonsnursery.com/, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, US.
• North American Plants http://www.naplants.com/elms.htm, Lafayette, Oregon, US.
• Sester Farms http://www.sesterfarms.com/Files/GreenhouseAvailability.pdf, Gresham, Oregon, US.
• Sun Valley Garden Centre http://www.qscaping.com/NetPS-Engine.asp?CCID=20000011&amp;page=results&amp;Keyword=ulmus&amp;Category=&amp;Type=&amp;Spread=Any&amp;SpreadDim=feet&amp;Growth=&amp;Hardiness=7&amp;Height=Any&amp;HeightDim=feet&amp;Canopy=&amp;Application=&amp;Texture=&amp;Wildlife=&amp;Form=&amp;Density=&amp;FlowerColor=&amp;FlowerColorJS=&amp;FoliageColor=&amp;FoliageColorJS=&amp;FallColor=&amp;FallColorJS=&amp;FruitPeriod=&amp;BarkColor=&amp;BarkColorJS=&amp;FlowerPeriod=&amp;Variegation=&amp;VariegationJS=&amp;FruitColor=&amp;FruitColorJS=&amp;Edible=&amp;BarkTexture=&amp;SunShade=&amp;Moisture=&amp;Pollution=&amp;SoilType=&amp;pH=&amp;Submit=Search, Eden Prairie, Minnesota, US.

External links

• http://fletcher.ces.state.nc.us/programs/nursery/metria/metria11/warren/elm.htm Warren, K., J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. (2002). The Status of Elms in the Nursery Industry in 2000.
• http://www.mortonarb.org/plantinfo/plantclinic/phc/New-Elms-For-The-Landscape.pdf. Miller, F. (2002). New elms for the landscape and urban forest.
• http://www.hfrr.k-state.edu/DesktopModules/ViewDocument.aspx?DocumentID=1619 Dutch Elm Disease. Kansas State University.

Notes and References

1. Griffin, J.. et al.. 2017. Ten-Year Performance of the United States National Elm Trial. Arboriculture & Urban Forestry. 43. 3. 107 - 120. International Society of Arboriculture, Atlanta, US. 10.48044/jauf.2017.010. free.
2. Brookes, A. H. (2020). Great Fontley Elm Trial, 2020 Report. Butterfly Conservation, Lulworth, UK.
3. McPherson, G. et al. (2008). National elm trial: Initial report from Northern California. Western Arborist, Fall 2009, 32 - 36.
4. Giblin, C. P. & Gillman, J. H. (2006). Elms for the Twin Cities: A Guide for Selection and Maintenance. University of Minnesota.
5. Brady, C., Condra, J., & Potter, D. (2008) Resistance of Landscape-suitable Elm (Ulmus spp.) Cultivars to Japanese Beetle, Leaf Miners, and Gall Makers. 2008 Research Report, Nursery & Landscape Program, pp 15, 16. University of Kentucky.
6. Shirazi, A. M. & Ware, G. H. (2004). Evaluation of New Elms from China for Cold Hardiness in Northern Latitudes. International Symposium on Asian Plant Diversity & Systematics 2004, Sakura, Japan.
7. https://www.cirrusimage.com/tree_triumph_elm/ Photographs of Morton Arboretum elm, Acc. no. 135-94; cirrusimage.com