Ulmus Davidiana Var. Japonica - Cultivation

Cultivation

Japanese Elm has been widely planted in northern Japan as a street tree. It was introduced to North America in 1895 as seed sent from Sapporo to the Arnold Arboretum, Massachusetts, whence seedlings were donated to Kew Gardens, London, two years later. The Arnold Arboretum specimens grew rapidly, and first flowered aged 12 years. Unlike many Asiatic species, Japanese Elm is tolerant of a mild, maritime climate with heavy winter rainfall and was consequently considered of potential use in the Dutch elm breeding programme led by H. M. Heybroek at the Dorschkamp Research Institute at Wageningen. In 1977, Heybroek collected the tree in Japan, with the result that there is now a small forest of Japanese Elm in southern Flevoland, the largest plantation of the species beyond its native land.

Specimens planted at the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens in Hampshire, England, in 1977 have grown very well on heavy clay in an open location, where they support colonies of the White-letter Hairstreak Satyrium w-album. In trials elsewhere in Hampshire conducted by Butterfly Conservation, the tree also proved tolerant of dry soils on chalk and soils waterlogged in winter, although growth has been comparatively slow. The species is not known to sucker from roots.