Ulmus 'Amsterdam'

Ulmus 'Amsterdam'
Ulmus 'Amsterdam'
Genus	Ulmus
Hybrid parentage	'Bea Schwarz' × U. minor
Cultivar	'Amsterdam'
Origin	Baarn, The Netherlands

Ulmus 'Amsterdam' is a Dutch cultivar raised at the Huis Groeneveld in Baarn from a crossing by Hanneke Went in 1942 of the early cultivar Ulmus minor 'Bea Schwarz' with another French U. minor, and introduced by Albert Hoekstra, former director of Amsterdam's horticulture department. ^[1] In the Netherlands it is classified as Ulmus minor 'Amsterdam'. ^{[1] [2]}

Description

'Amsterdam' is very slender growing in its youth, with rather small, light green leaves. Eventually it becomes a medium-sized tree with a narrow ovate crown. The leaves turn a rich yellow in autumn and remain attached to the tree for a period much longer than is normal for the genus. The tree is also distinguished by its trunk, which widens conspicuously at the base. ^[1]

• 
  Trunk base
• 
  'Amsterdam' leaves

Pests and diseases

The tree has a moderate resistance to Dutch elm disease, rated as 3/5. ^[1]

Cultivation

'Amsterdam' is perceived to be ideally suited to urban locations where trees of small size are preferred. The cultivar has had only a very limited impact on the Dutch townscape, largely restricted to the streets of Amsterdam, notably the Weesperstraat. ^[1] Among rural plantings in the Netherlands are three trees by the roundabout at the south end of the Iepenallee 's-Gravelandsevaartweg, Loosdrecht, ^{[2] [3]} planted in 2019 as part of Wijdemeren City Council's elm collection, assembled since 2003 by tree manager Martin Tijdgat and his colleagues. ^{[4] [1] [5]} The tree is little known beyond the Netherlands.

• 
  Line of 'Amsterdam' on the Sloterkade (2019) ^[6]

Etymology

Named for the city of Amsterdam.

Accessions

Europe

• Grange Farm Arboretum, Sutton St. James, Spalding, Lincs., UK. Acc. no. 815.
• Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, UK. One specimen bordering Crookhill overflow parking area. Acc. no. 2017.0371

Nurseries

Europe

• Noordplant , Glimmen, Netherlands.

References

1. Tijdgat, M. (2020): Ulmus – Gebruikswaarde- en sortimentsonderzoek in de praktijk. Dendroflora Nr. 56-2020, p.73 Koninklijke Vereniging voor Boskoopse Culturen & Nederlandse Dendrologische Vereniging
2. Hanneke Tax, 'Martin Tijdgat, bomenman van de gemeente Wijdemeren en iepenexpert', 25 May 2022; boomzorg.nl Contains north to south names-list.
3. Three 'Amsterdam' by the roundabout at the south end of the Iepenallee 's-Gravelandsevaartweg - Google Maps, September 2022, access date: 12 December, 2025
4. Iepenallee, ’s Gravelandsevaartweg, Loosdrecht, Netherlands: Bart Mullink, 'Bekering gemeente Wijdemeren tot de iep loopt als een trein', 23 August 2018; boomzorg.nl
5. Hanneke Tax, 'Iepenallee 's-Gravelandsevaartweg', 1 May 2023, boomzorg.nl
6. L. Goudzwaar, 'Het geslacht Ulmus - nieuwe mogelijkheden' (2008); edepot.wur.nl