Commelin (elm hybrid)

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Ulmus Commelin
Hybrid parentage
U. × hollandica 'Vegeta' × U. minor
Cultivar
Commelin
Origin
Baarn, The Netherlands

Commelin was one of two Dutch hybrids released for sale in 1960. Raised at Baarn by the Willie Commelin Scholten in 1940 from a crossing of U. × hollandica Vegeta and a selection of U. minor from a French nursery made in 1929. It proved a fast-growing, attractively-shaped tree resistant to wind and a range of elm ailments. Distinguished by its narrow habit and small leaves, it became a considerable commercial success and over 500,000 had been sold by 1974. Unhappily, the tree had only been screened for non-aggressive or semi-aggressive isolates of the causal fungus of Dutch elm disease. When its low resistance to the new, aggressive strain of the disease became apparent, sales plummeted, and only 500 were sold in 1990. Fortunately, neither Commelin nor its equally vulnerable contemporary Groeneveld had sold in great numbers beyond the Netherlands, although it was later used in hybridization experiments in the USA as female parent of several cultivars.

Contents 1 Hybrid cultivars 2 Arboreta etc. accessions 2.1 North America 2.2 Europe 3 Nurseries 3.1 North America 3.2 Europe 4 Etymology 5 References

[edit] Hybrid cultivars

• Homestead, Regal, Urban.

[edit] Arboreta etc. accessions

[edit] North America

• Bartlett Tree Experts
• Holden Arboretum
• Morton Arboretum acc. no. 69-70

[edit] Europe

• Brighton & Hove City Council, UK, NCCPG elm collection [1]

[edit] Nurseries

[edit] North America

None known.

[edit] Europe

• Boomwekerijen 'De Batterijen', Ochten, Netherlands[2]
• Brian Lewington, Heathfield, East Sussex, UK [3]
• Esveld, Boskoop, Netherlands [4]

[edit] Etymology

The cultivar is named for Jan Commelin, a Dutch botanist of the 17th century.

[edit] References

• Burdekin, D. A. & Rushforth, K. D. (Revised by Webber J. F. 1996). Elms resistant to Dutch elm disease. Arboricultural Research Note 2/96. Arboricultural Advisory and Information Service, Alice Holt, Farnham, UK.
• Gibbs, J. N. et al. (1975). Eur. J. Forest Path. 5: 161-174, 1975.
• Green, P. S. (1964). Registration of cultivar names in Ulmus. Arnoldia, Vol. 24. Arnold Arboretum, Harvard University. [5]
• Heybroek, H. M. (1993). The Dutch Elm Breeding Program. In Sticklen & Sherald (Eds.)(1993). Dutch Elm Disease Research, Chapter 3. Springer Verlag, New York, USA