Ulmus glabra 'Purpurea'

Infobox Cultivar | name = "Ulmus glabra"
cultivar = 'Purpurea'
origin = Späth nursery, Berlin, GermanyThe Wych Elm "Ulmus glabra" cultivar 'Purpurea' is probably synonymous with Atropurpurea raised at the Späth nursery in Germany. An elm of the same epithet is listed by the Morton Arboretum, Illinois, as "Ulmus procera" 'Purpurea', but without description, obtained in 1922 from H. Kohankie & Son, (Accession no. 593-22).

Description

The cultivar is distinguished by its folded, dark-purple leaves. In Australia, cultivars by the name of "U. glabra" 'Purpurea', "U. procera" 'Purpurea' and "U. purpurea" appear in old nursery catalogues dating from 1886. These cultivars are believed to by synonymous with the cultivar which is currently known there as "U. hollandica" × 'Purpurascens', which is probably synonymous with "Ulmus minor" 'Purpurascens'. This is a short-trunked tree with an open, straggly habit that grows to 20 metres or more. Shoots, fruits and leaves are purplish when young. The thick leaves, which are folded upwards, turn dark green on the upper side (paler beneath) as they mature [cite book|author=Spencer, R., Hawker, J. and Lumley, P.| title=Elms in Australia| publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne|location=Australia | year=1991| id=ISBN 0724199624] .

Cultivation

'Purpurea' was planted along the Avenue of Honour in Ballarat in 1918. A specimen at the Ryston Hall [http://www.rystonhall.co.uk/] , Norfolk, arboretum, obtained from the Späth nursery in Berlin before 1914 Ryston Hall Arboretum catalogue, circa 1920] was killed by the earlier strain of Dutch elm disease in the 1930s. Probably now extinct.

ynonymy

*?"Ulmus procera" 'Purpurea': Morton Arboretum Catalogue 2006.

Accessions

Europe

*Brighton & Hove City Council, UK, NCCPG Elm Collection [http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/index.cfm?request=c1108042] .

References

*Bean, W. J. (1981). "Trees and shrubs hardy in Great Britain", 7th edition. Murray, London.
*Elwes, H. J. & Henry, A. (1913). "The Trees of Great Britain & Ireland". Vol. VII. pp 1848-1929. Private publication, Edinburgh. [http://fax.libs.uga.edu/QK488xE4/7tgbi/]