New Winged Elm

[Rjoyce]

Just a quick update to show the response from being cut back, three weeks later.

 

[leatherback]

Dutch elm disease

So sad my country being blamed by the rest of the world. Don't think we will ever recover

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

So sad my country being blamed by the rest of the world. Don't think we will ever recover

Shameful what you Dutch did, if I recall correctly, the fungus originated in China (where a lot of nasty tree diseases come from). It was introduced into Netherlands by early or middle of 19th century. Came to North America by late 19th century and became a scourge here by middle of the 20th century. It was called "Dutch Elm Disease, because in Netherlands, much like North America, urban streets were lined with elms, Ulmus glabra, U. minor, and other elms. The disease was first described in Netherlands and ever since has been known as "the Dutch Elm Disease" even though it originated in China.

Only Chinese elm species are immune to the disease. The new disease resistant elms are hybrids with some percentage of Chinese elm and backcrosses to the elm whose traits the hybrid is supposed to mimic. For example American elm.

So we blame it on the Dutch, but we're Americans, in the land of Trump and Fox News. Truth has no meaning. Oops, excuse my rant.

 

[Rjoyce]

Thank you for the info Leo! It's always interesting to learn the history of how things spread. Also, it's not that truth has no meaning in the US, it's just that we like to use "alternative facts" .

 

[Rjoyce]

I have a bit of a dilemma with this tree now. I over wintered it outside under the bonsai bench and mulched in with the rest of my cold hardy trees and it seems to have died back mostly to the trunk and primary branches. I was hoping to repot it this year to get the roots sorted and into good soil, but now I don't know if it is healthy enough to handle the work. Should I leave it for another year with better winter protection and hope it is strong next spring, or could I get away with repotting this year?

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I'd leave it alone and see what sprouts.

 

[Rjoyce]

Thanks Leo, that's what I'm going to do. I had jus finished building a grow box for it and was about to repot it when I realized it might be a bad idea. I then thought of just slip-potting it, but decided that wouldn't be that much of a benefit, so I just popped the whole thing inside the box, since it fits and now if I have to move it, the plastic pot won't bend and damage the roots. I'm bummed I set it back, but now I know it needs more winter protection.

 

[LanceMac10]

Winged Elm is native to southern regions of the U.S. In a pot, they'll be even more tender. Not sure this is a good species for our cold winters and rollercoaster winter/spring. I suspect the tree has suffered some damage in the roots from freeze/thaw cycles or just zapped by a too deep freeze. The tree is spending resources trying to revive dead/hanging-by-a-thread branching. Personally, I would remove any branch that wasn't a turgid, healthy green after doing some "test" cuts. See if you can source some Siberian Elms.

Just my view...commence at your discretion!

 

[sorce]

Reckon it's Ulmus Americana var. Floridana.

What's it look like now?

Cuz in that pic it look like the bulbously juicy sections of stored energy decided to sprout before the rest is all.

Sorce

 

[Rjoyce]

Here are two pictures from yesterday.

I removed all of the obviously dead branches (no green cambium, shriveled bark, no pushing buds, etc) and left all of the new growth. I should have paid better attention to the fact that I was told it came from Florida by the seller. It just never dawned on me that I needed to treat it like a Florida tree. I just figured "it's and elm" and was dumb about it.

I plan on wintering it like my crepe myrtle in the cd section (~45°F) of my basement from now on. For this year I will let it grow, but at some point will have to select which

 

[Underdog]

I have a collected Winged Elm from Arkansas which survived an Ohio winter quite well under the bench. S[ring re[ot and thriving. Was a mild winter here but had some single digits. (I saw from Florida LOL)
My Tx Cedar Elm came from Wiggarts in S Florida made it too.
For what it's worth as we are same zone...
Maybe another reason/issue?

 

[Rjoyce]

I was just going back through this thread and realized I didn't include some stuff from last year. Since the tree was growing pretty strong, I gave it a bit of a cut back in August, but not as severe as in June. Basically a hedge prune:
Before

After


I also had an issue of flies growing under/around the cut paste.


Perhaps the late cutback and the fly larvae potentially feeding from sap, the tree was left too week and short of sugars to serve as anti-freeze in the smaller shoots.

 

[19Mateo83]

How is this elm doing, has it survived?

 

[Rjoyce]

Hi @19Mateo83! The tree is doing fine. I'm not sure what exactly caused the die-back after the first winter, but it is doing well now. I repotted it in Spring 2021 and still have issues with those flies, although they weren't as bad this year. I'm guessing they aren't hurting the tree, but they are really annoying.

I have also continued overwintering it outside, mulched into a raised garden bed with a cover without any issues. I ran out of room in the garden bed this year, so it's mulched into another area of the yard with wind protection, but no cover. We'll see how it goes this year!

 

[19Mateo83]

Hi @19Mateo83! The tree is doing fine. I'm not sure what exactly caused the die-back after the first winter, but it is doing well now. I repotted it in Spring 2021 and still have issues with those flies, although they weren't as bad this year. I'm guessing they aren't hurting the tree, but they are really annoying.

I have also continued overwintering it outside, mulched into a raised garden bed with a cover without any issues. I ran out of room in the garden bed this year, so it's mulched into another area of the yard with wind protection, but no cover. We'll see how it goes this year!

Awesome to hear! Try some diamaceous earth on the soil surface or mosquito bits. Should clear the fungus gnats up in short order.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I read through the thread. I won't lie. I've several elm. Three with proper ID off the top of my head...I did a video on Instagram on them. I have a winged elm in the group of three...a Catlin Elm and a Drake elm. With ramification on the Winged elm the leaves are reducing and truly. I don't think I could ID elm. I also just got in a Chinese elm of unknown cultivar. Neagari...and I've also a mini forest of elm.

I love working with elm. You said yours came from Florida. I question acclimating issues for your first winter woes. As I think that truly an issue with southern trees that are moved outside the zone they are from.

This video I made showing one.. I personally think it's hard to ID elm by foliage alone.

Cadillactaste on Instagram: "Had one asking on ID'ing elm. I've the three...I've honestly not paid attention overly to the differences. Other than...left to right. Catlin Elm (smallest leaf and last to shed leaves) Drake elm...(next to the smallest

65 likes, 18 comments - cadillactaste on December 9, 2023: "Had one asking on ID'ing elm. I've the three...I've honestly not paid attention overly to the dif..."

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