Ulmus americana 'Beebe's Weeping'

Ulmus americana

U. americana 'Beebe's Weeping', Illinois, U.S.A.

Photo: R. Govaerts
Details
Cultivar 'Beebe's Weeping'
Origin Galena, Illinois, USA

The American Elm Ulmus americana cultivar 'Beebe's Weeping' was propagated from a tree growing in the wild at Galena, Illinois, by Mr. E. Beebe circa 1889.[1]

Contents

Description

'Beebe's Weeping' has thick cord-like branches which curve over as they grow, similar to a Weeping Willow, creating a dome of foliage. A very fast growing cultivar, trees grown at Germantown, Philadelphia were reputed to gain 20 ft (6 m) per annum.[2]

Pests and diseases

No specific information available, but the species as a whole is highly susceptible to Dutch Elm Disease and Elm Yellows; it is also moderately preferred for feeding and reproduction by the adult Elm Leaf Beetle Xanthogaleruca luteola [3] [2], and highly preferred for feeding by the Japanese Beetle Popillia japonica [4] [3] [4] in the USA. U. americana is also the most susceptible of all the elms to verticillium wilt.[5]

Cultivation

A few specimens are known to survive in the USA, mostly in Illinois where the cultivar originated.

Notable trees

A curious 'table top' elm growing in the center of Provo, Utah, planted in 1927, may be an example of the cultivar [5]. A single specimen listed in the NCCPG collection at Brighton, England, is now considered to be 'Pendula'.

Etymology

Named for Mr. E. Beebe, discoverer of the tree.

Accessions

North America

Synonymy

References

  1. ^ Green, P. S. (1964). Registration of cultivar names in Ulmus. Arnoldia, Vol. 24. Arnold Arboretum, Harvard University. [1]
  2. ^ Meehan, (1889), in Garden & Forest, 2: 286, 1889.
  3. ^ Miller, F. and Ware, G. (2001). Resistance of Temperate Chinese Elms (Ulmuss spp.) to Feeding of the Adult Elm Leaf Beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Journal of Economic Entomology 94 (1): 162-166. 2001. Entom. Soc.of America.
  4. ^ Miller, F., Ware, G. and Jackson, J. (2001). Preference of Temperate Chinese Elms (Ulmuss spp.) for the Feeding of the Japanese Beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Journal of Economic Entomology 94 (2). pp 445-448. 2001. Entom. Soc.of America.
  5. ^ Pegg, G. F. & Brady, B. L. (2002). Verticillium Wilts. CABI Publishing. ISBN 0851995292