Ulmus americana 'Minneapolis Park' explained

Ulmus americana 'Minneapolis Park'
Species:	Ulmus americana
Cultivar:	'Minneapolis Park'
Origin:	Minneapolis, US

The American Elm cultivar Ulmus americana 'Minneapolis Park', originally called 'Minneapolis Park Board Selection', was a cold-hardy clone selected before 1930 by Theodore Wirth, Superintendent of the Minneapolis Park Department, to replace the 'Moline' elms killed in the 1920s by Minneapolis winters.^{[1] [2] [3]}

Description

The tree has a relatively high number of stiff, upright branches creating a broad pyramidal shape.^{[4] [5]}

Pests and diseases

Minnesota was at first considered too far north to be at serious risk from Dutch elm disease, and heavy losses were not sustained there until the 1970s.^{[6] [7]} 'Minneapolis Park' was ultimately found to be very susceptible to the disease.^[8]

Cultivation

Propagated by grafting, 'Minneapolis Park' was widely planted in Minneapolis and St Paul, especially as an avenue tree.^{[1] [9] [10]} By 1928 Minnesota winters had claimed most of the 568 'Moline' elms in Victory Memorial Drive in North Minneapolis, commemorating the war dead of Hennepin County; they were replaced with hardier 'Minneapolis Park'.^{[11] [12]} Owing to its susceptibility to disease it is unlikely the tree remains in cultivation.

Synonymy

• 'Minneapolis Park Board Selection': Brand Peony Farms, 1930 Cat.; Faribault, Minnesota; p.16.
• 'Minneapolis Park Board': Sherman Nursery, Charles City, Iowa, Wholesale Cat., Spring 1960.

Notes and References

1. https://archive.org/details/CAT31332196/page/16/mode/2up Brand Peony Farms; 1930 catalogue (Faribault, Minnesota; p.16)
2. https://archive.org/details/CAT31348617/page/24/mode/2up Andrews certified fruit, plants and trees, 1937; p.24. Andrews Nursery, Faribault, Minnesota
3. https://archive.org/details/CAT31382283/page/38/mode/2up Andrews Nursery, Faribault, Minnesota; 1939 catalogue, p.39
4. Green . Peter Shaw . Peter Shaw Green . 1964 . Registration of cultivar names in Ulmus. Arnoldia . 24. 41–80 . 6–8 . . 16 February 2017.
5. http://collections.mnhs.org/mnhistorymagazine/articles/65/v65i02p44-53.pdf Photograph of 'Minneapolis Park', Lombard Avenue, St Paul, Minnesota, c.1975; 'Dutch Elm in St Paul and Minneapolis'; Minnesota Historical Society, collections.mnhs.org
6. https://conservancy.umn.edu/bitstream/handle/11299/151957/History%20of%20Dutch%20Elm%20Disease%20in%20Minnesota.pdf?sequence=1 David W. French, 'History of Dutch Elm Disease in Minnesota', University of Minnesota; conservancy.umn.edu
7. http://collections.mnhs.org/mnhistorymagazine/articles/65/v65i02p44-53.pdf 'Dutch Elm in St Paul and Minneapolis'; Minnesota Historical Society, collections.mnhs.org
8. http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/trees/handbook/th-3-113.pdf American elm, ag.ndsu.edu/trees/handbook, III. p.114
9. https://archive.org/details/CAT31335116/page/44/mode/2up Brand Peony Farms, nurseries; 1931 catalogue; Faribault, Minnesota; p.49
10. https://archive.org/details/CAT31367959/page/46/mode/2up Book of selected planting stock, 1947; The Andrews Nursery, Faribault, Minnesota; p.46
11. Theodore Wirth, Minneapolis Park System 1883–1944 (Minneapolis Board of Park Commissioners, 1945)
12. https://www.mnopedia.org/thing/victory-memorial-drive-minneapolis Photograph of 'Minneapolis Park', Victory Memorial Drive, Minneapolis; mnopedia.org