Ulmus × hollandica 'Gaujardii'

The hybrid elm cultivar Ulmus × hollandica 'Gaujardii', one of a number of cultivars arising from the crossing of Wych Elm U. glabra with Field Elm U. minor, was raised by the Gaujard-Rome nursery of Châteauroux, France, in the 1890s as Ulmus Gaujardii and was described in the 1898 Kew Bulletin and Wiener illustrirte Garten-Zeitung.[1][2] It won first prize in the International Horticultural Exhibition in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in 1899 and a silver medal in the Heemstede Exhibition, The Netherlands, in 1925.[3] From the early 20th century it was distributed by the Späth nursery of Berlin as Ulmus montana Gaujardi,[4] and in the interwar years by the Boccard nursery of Geneva as Ulmus campestris Gaujardi.[5] It appeared in Unsere Freiland-Laubgehölze in 1913, but without description.[6][7]

Ulmus × hollandica 'Gaujardii'
'Gaujardii' at 3 years
Hybrid parentageU. glabra × U. minor
Cultivar'Gaujardii'
OriginFrance

Description

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A tree of symmetrical upright growth and of great vigour, with the appearance of an arrow. The foliage was of medium size, oval and light green.[1][2] Four photographs of 'Gaujardii' appear in Pépinières Gaujard-Rome et Cie (1930), where the nursery distinguished between medium- and large-leaved forms.[3] Herbarium specimens suggest that more than one clone has been labelled 'Gaujardii'.[8][9]

Pests and diseases

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Elms of the U. × hollandica group are susceptible to Dutch elm disease.

Cultivation

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'Gaujardii' was produced at a rate of 30,000 trees per annum by 1930,[3] though no specimens are known to survive. There was a specimen at Arnold Arboretum, Massachusetts, in the mid-20th century.

Putative specimen

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An old U. × hollandica with leaves (unusually for this group) light green all summer and matching the 'Gaujardii' herbarium specimen in The Hague,[9] stands (2019) by 35 Inverleith Terrace, Edinburgh, near the entrance to Royal Botanic Garden.[10] An early 20th century photograph shows it fastigiate when young.[11] Its leaf-shape, samarae, and light suckering confirm its hybridity.

References

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  1. ^ a b "New garden plants of the year 1898". Kew Bulletin. 12–13: 53. 1899.
  2. ^ a b "Miscellen". Wiener illustrirte Garten-Zeitung. 23: 27. 1898.
  3. ^ a b c Pépinières Gaujard-Rome et Cie - 1930. Gaujard-Rome, Châteauroux. 1930. pp. 85, 88, 93, 95.
  4. ^ Späth, L., Catalogue 130 (1908–09; Berlin), p.137
  5. ^ Catalogue générale, automne 1936 – printemps 1937, Pépinières Boccard Frères, Geneva, 1936, p.30
  6. ^ von Silva-Tarouca, Ernst Emanuel (1913). Unsere Freiland-Laubgehölze. p. 366.
  7. ^ Green, Peter Shaw (1964). "Registration of cultivar names in Ulmus". Arnoldia. 24 (6–8). Arnold Arboretum, Harvard University: 41–80. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  8. ^ "Herbarium specimen - WAG.1847161". Botany catalogues. Naturalis Biodiversity Center. Sheet labelled Ulmus Gaujardi (undated); "Herbarium specimen - WAG.1911553". Botany catalogues. Naturalis Biodiversity Center. Sheet labelled U. × hollandica 'Gaujardii', Arnold Arboretum (1960); "Herbarium specimen - WAG.L.1587049". Botany catalogues. Naturalis Biodiversity Center. Sheet labelled U. × hollandica 'Gaujardii', Arnold Arboretum (1960); long shoots; "Herbarium specimen - L.1587054". Botany catalogues. Naturalis Biodiversity Center. Sheet labelled U. hollandica Miller 'Gaujardii', Arnold Arboretum (1930)
  9. ^ a b "Herbarium specimen - WAG.1847162". Botany catalogues. Naturalis Biodiversity Center. Sheet labelled U. × hollandica 'Gaujardii', The Hague (1932)
  10. ^ Google Maps: Inverleith Terrace - Google Maps (May 2018), accessdate: August 13, 2019
  11. ^ edinphoto.org.uk, 35 Inverleith Terrace, Edinburgh