RIP dear, dear Mr Elm

The identification was recent: a tree feller (for the willow) ID'd it as Elm (and was quite in awe that I had one). I trusted his experience.

 

Did Your OH Carve that?? I Love it
Sorry if you have lost it

 

'Dutch Elm Disease' gave me (whilst living in a rented farmhouse) year's of log supplies for the Aga. The trouble is they don't grow back enough by suckering to reproduce 'properly' (by that I mean sexually) before they get wiped out again.

Nor will they ever acheive 'full size' again.

 

Surely a whole species of tree can have been condemned in one outbreak? That would be so sad.

 

Afraid so Dave, have a look at old landscape paintings to see what the mature ones looked like, Oakish but taller and not spreading so far.

Like Scrunge said, if they don't get old enough to breed, the clones will never develop resistance.

 

You wont believe how excited I am based on a combination of your description, and a quick google search for Elm's leaf shape. I'm going to have a drive up to my land this weekend.

A couple of years ago, I decided to try to build up a log (pardon the pun) of what trees are growing on my land. Most were easy, Blackthorn, Hawthorn, Holly, one Sycamore, several Oak, Rowan etc. There is one very well established large tree that remains unidentified. It is tucked away in the 'triangle of death', meaning it is pretty isolated because its hard to get too without breaking your neck. It looks sort of like an oak but less 'well built'. My dad suggested Elm a while ago but said he doubts it cos they're all gone. He did insist that just in case, I should keep it intact, and also not cut the other species of tree that surround it, so that it remains sheltered, just in case. I now wonder, could it be that I am unwittingly the custodian and caretaker of one the the country's few surviving mature Elms I wonder.

 

I have heard it said that it is only when they get their "crown" up above the surrounding canopy that they get infected ... if that's the case you'll need to make sure that yours stays lower than the surrounding trees.

 

Blimey

 

Sorry,accidentally attached an ammonite as well as an Elm leaf

 

Mum , as Nick said - that is a fantastic tree carving , who did it ?
This is quite a sad thread , I remember the dutch Elm disease striking when I was in my early twenties. I always presumed that they would have made a strong comeback by now , seems this is not the case

 

hard to know where Horse Chestnuts will wind up with whatever the bug is called that eats them in late Summer ... or the Sudden Death Syndrome of Oaks [and several other species I think]

 

I think you're referring to leaf miner (Cameraria ohridella), which munches its way through the leaves, causing unsightly leaf damage and defoliation. In otherwise healthy trees this is seen to be only an aesthetic problem and something that doesn't effect the long-term vigour or vitality of the tree itself. More of a problem is bleeding canker of horse chestnut (Pseudomonas syringae pv. aesculi), which can lead to mortality in trees.

You're right about Sudden Oak Death (Phytophthora ramorum) - it's is a far more serious problem affecting a wide range of trees and shrubs.

 

Clueless - any update on whether your tree is an elm?

 

Not been up the land yet. Going to have a drive up today.

 

Sadly, no! My dh is not that way inclined (coal: bbq; upside down ) The "carving" is a stand-a-lone piece, acquired from a trip to a County show (I bought 2 "tree spirits") but "fitted" one to the girth of my elm, to a great effect!

Last year, the elm suckered; but, not knowing what I had, we pulled the suckers out!
This year, we have a sucker, but, due to 2 years of a dry winter, plus, crippling weather conditions, both the tree, plus sucker, are suffering a slow death