| Ulmus americana 'Littleford' | |
|---|---|
| Species | Ulmus americana |
| Cultivar | 'Littleford' |
| Origin | Illinois, US |
The American Elm cultivar Ulmus americana 'Littleford' was cloned from a tree in Hinsdale, Illinois, circa 1915 by Littleford Nurseries of Downers Grove, Illinois, and first released in 1927. [1] It was marketed in the 1930s by nearby Hinsdale Nurseries, successor to Littleford Nurseries, as 'Littlefordii'. [2] In their 1925 catalogue Littleford Nurseries had written of their selection: "The growing of the American elm is a specialty with us; we consider it the leading shade and ornamental tree. Our trees are a selected strain of the V-shaped type, a stock of 15 to 20 thousand, all 2 ins. and up in size, transplanted twice and in splendid vigor for planting". [3]
The tree is narrowly vase-shaped, without pendulous branchlets, and with larger and heavier leaves. [4]
The clone's resistance to Dutch Elm Disease is not known, but the species as a whole is highly susceptible to the disease and Elm Yellows; it is also moderately preferred for feeding and reproduction by the adult Elm Leaf Beetle Xanthogaleruca luteola , [5] and highly preferred for feeding by the Japanese Beetle Popillia japonica [6] [7] in the United States. U. americana is also the most susceptible of all the elms to verticillium wilt. [8] [9]
'Littleford' was also marketed from the 1930s by the Siebenthaler Company of Dayton, Ohio, [10] and from the 1940s by Charles Fiore Nurseries of Prairie View, Illinois. [11] The Sherman Nursery, Charles City, Iowa, stocked it as late as 1957, but it is no longer listed by that emporium or any other. [1] The tree is not known to have been introduced to Europe or Australasia.