Ulmus alata
Ulmus alata Michx., the Winged Elm or Wahoo, is a small- to medium-sized deciduous tree endemic to the southern and south-central United States.
Description
On the silty uplands of the Mississippi, and Delta it can attain 27 m (89 ft) in height, although the trunk diameter rarely exceeds 60 cm (24 in) d.b.h. The canopy form is variable, from pyramidal to rounded. As its common name implies, the tree is most easily recognized by the very broad, thin pair of corky wings that form along the branchlets after a couple of years. The leaves are small, < 6.5 cm (2.5 in) long and < 2.0 cm (0.8 in) broad, oblong-lanceolate to narrowly elliptic, thin in texture, and smooth above. The wind-pollinated perfect apetalous flowers are borne on long pedicels in March and April before the leaves appear. The reddish samarae are relatively small, < 8 mm long, narrowly elliptic with two long incurving stigmas at the tip, and usually disperse by the end of April .
Pests and diseases
Like its compatriots, the species is very susceptible to Dutch elm disease and Elm Yellows.[http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/foresthealth/idotis/diseases/elmpnecr.html].
Cultivation
The tree is tolerant of a wide range of soils, and of ponding, but is the least shade-tolerant of the North American elms. However, it can still be found in woodland although its growth in that environment is very slow, the trunk increasing in diameter by < 5mm (0.2 in) per annum. The tree is occasionally considered a nuisance as it readily invades old fields, forest clearings and rangelands, proving particularly difficult to eradicate with herbicides . The tree is rarely found beyond its natural range, although it remains in commercial cultivation in the USA, and occasionally in Europe; it is very uncommon in Australasia .
Uses
The Winged Elm is of minimal commercial significance, its hard timber considered no more remarkable than that of other American elms, and of limited use because of the commonly small size of the trees.
Cultivars
Lace Parasol
Hybrid cultivars
None known.
Accessions
North America
Arnold Arboretum, acc. no. 404-95, wild collected.
Bartlett Tree Experts [http://www.bartlett.com], acc. no. 1438, unrecorded provenance.
Brooklyn Botanic Garden [http://www.bbg.org/cgi/bgbase/search.cgi], New York, acc. nos. 730275, X00886
Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest [http://www.bernheim.org/species_lists.htm], Clermont, Kentucky. No details available.
Morton Arboretum, acc. no. 116-96, wild collected Papoose Lake, Illinois.
Europe
Brighton & Hove City Council, UK, NCCPG Elm Collection [http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/index.cfm?request=c1108042], 1 tree at East Brighton Park, UK champion 13 m high, 31 cm d.b.h. in 2001 .
Grange Farm, Sutton St. James, Spalding, Lincolnshire, UK, acc. no. 506
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, acc. no. 20080092, from seed wild collected in USA.
Thenford House, Northamptonshire, UK. No details available.
Australasia
Manukau Cemetery & Crematorium, Auckland, New Zealand. No details available.
Nurseries
North America
Widely available. Europe
Arboretum Waasland [http://www.arboretum-waasland.be/English.htm], Nieuwkerken-Waas, Belgium.
Grange Farm Plants, Spalding, Lincs., UK.
Plantentuin Esveld [http://www.esveld.nl/voorraadengels/voorrulmus.htm], Netherlands.
Australasia
None known.
Seed suppliers
Sheffield's Seeds Co. Inc. [http://www.sheffields.com/products/simple_search], New York, USA.
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