In Search of New Kinds of Elms

Abstract

Trees suitable for urban use must tolerate numerous root-zone adversities such as compacted soil, restricted root space, extremes of soil wetness and dryness, wide temperature fluctuations, alkalinity, salinity, and soil disturbance. Elms have many of the necessary attributes. There is a sizable number of little-known elm species native to central and eastern Asia that should be studied more closely in the search for better urban trees. Some of these have extensive ranges and display considerable ecological variation from region to region. Certain Asian elms have been shown to have encouraging levels of resistance to Dutch elm disease.