General Description | Ulmus glabra ‘Camperdownii’ is a small to medium sized, weeping tree, which is produced by grafting. It is known for its large, dark green leaves and weeping branches that without pruning will reach the ground. |
ID Characteristic | This tree is characterized by its large obovate leaves, and weeping structure. It is also known for its twisting, crowded branching, and how it intolerant to being trained: the branch structure seems to have a mind of its own. |
Shape | A weeping broad spreading, low canopied tree. |
Landscape | Camperdown Elm is a specimen tree, and is typically used as a focal point in parks and larger landscapes because of its unique form. It tolerates drought and wind, and requires average moisture conditions. |
Propagation | Propagated from stem cuttings, or bud grafted onto the rootstock of another immature Elm at a height of 1.5 m. Camperdownii produces seed however they are not usually viable and if so will not be true to form. |
Cultivation | Plant in full sun in moist, sandy, alkaline soils |
Pests | Camperdown Elm can become infected with Dutch Elm disease, wetwood and Phloem necrosis which affects most Elms. Dutch Elm disease is spread by the Elm Bark Beetle. Some say that the Camperdown Elm is resistant to the disease, but it is only because the beetle is unable to locate them because of their small size an usually solitary locations. |
Notable Specimens | The Christchurch Botanical Garden, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Prospect Park, Brooklyn, New York, United States of America. |
Habitat | Horticultural origin. |
Bark/Stem Description | Smooth bark at the base of the scion with cross checked bark on the understock. |
Flower/Leaf Bud Description | 7 mm buds, alternate, brown at base and darker brown at tip, covered in small stiff hairs. |
Leaf Description | Leaves are 8-16 cm long, 5-10 cm wide; obovate; double-serrate; dark green in summer and yellow in autumn with a rough upper side; leaves grow bunched together and are pillose on both sides. |
Flower Description | Insignificant green flowers, to 3 cm with a single petal, emerge in early spring, and grow in compact groups. |
Fruit Description | Produces a small winged nutlet around 2 cm long, light green fading to beige when ripe but which does not germinate. |
Colour Description | In young trees the bark is silver-gray and smooth but as it matures it turns into a darker grey with black grooves. Leaves are dark green on the top but with a silvery-green underside. When the tree flowers the entire plant appears a light green due to the number of blooms. |
Texture Description | It is a coarse textured plant. |