Ulmus 'Morton Stalwart' = Commendation

Ulmus 'Morton Stalwart' (selling name Commendation™), is a Morton Arboretum hybrid cultivar arising from a controlled crossing of Accolade with the hybrid of a Field Elm U. minor from eastern Russia and a Siberian Elm U. pumila. [2][3] Tested in the US National Elm Trial coordinated by Colorado State University, Commendation averaged a survival rate of 85% after 10 years.[4]

Ulmus 'Morton Stalwart' = Commendation
Commendation, 14 years old.[1]
GenusUlmus
Hybrid parentageAccolade × (U. minor × U. pumila)
Cultivar'Morton Stalwart' = Commendation™
OriginUS

Description

The branches are upright, but the form of the tree is more oval than vase-shaped; the leaves are relatively large. However, examples grown in the warmer climes of the southern United States have not impressed, and it was dismissed, along with its Morton stablemates Triumph and Vanguard, as 'ugly' by Michael Dirr, Professor of Horticulture at the University of Georgia , on account of its 'wild' growth and splaying branches.

Pests and diseases

Although resistant to Dutch elm disease in the USA, the tree is moderately susceptible to insects,[3] notably elm leaf beetle Xanthogaleruca luteola,[5] Japanese beetle [6] and Gypsy moth.

Cultivation

Commendation is vigorous and robust, adjudged the third fastest-growing cultivar of 17 assessed by the University of Minnesota and fourth out of 15 in trials at U C Davis.[5] The tree is also extremely tolerant of drought [7] and cold; in artificial freezing tests at the Morton Arboretum [8] the tree was found cold-hardy to -40 °C.

Commendation was introduced by Chicagoland Grows [3] and is currently being evaluated in the National Elm Trial[9] coordinated by Colorado State University. The tree was introduced to the UK in 2014, but is not known (2016) to have been introduced to Australasia.

Accessions
North America
Europe

References
  1. Cirrus Digital Commendation Elm
  2. Cirrus Digital Hybrid Elm - Ulmus (carpinifolia x pumila)
  3. Morton Arboretum Commendation Elm
  4. Griffin, J.; et al. (2017). "Ten-Year Performance of the United States National Elm Trial" (PDF). Arboriculture & Urban Forestry. International Society of Arboriculture, Atlanta, US. 43(3):107–120.
  5. McPherson, G. et al. (2008). National elm trial: Initial report from Northern California. Western Arborist, Fall 2009, 32–36.
  6. Brady, C., Condra, J., & Potter, D. (2008) Resistance of Landscape-suitable Elm (Ulmus spp.) Cultivars to Japanese Beetle, Leaf Miners, and Gall Makers. 2008 Research Report, Nursery & Landscape Program, 15–16. University of Kentucky.
  7. Giblin, C. P. & Gillman, J. H. (2006). Elms for the Twin Cities: A Guide for Selection and Maintenance. University of Minnesota.
  8. Shirazi, A. M. & Ware, G. H. (2004). Evaluation of New Elms from China for Cold Hardiness in Northern Latitudes. International Symposium on Asian Plant Diversity & Systematics 2004, Sakura, Japan.
  9. CSU Shade Tree Lab Archived 2008-02-26 at the Wayback Machine
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