The American elm was once a dominant species in both our forests and landscapes. The Dutch elm disease has obliterated them and because the American elm is so magnificent and environmentally important, many tree breeders have developed cultivars for release to the horticultural community. These cultivars are widely studied and literature tells us their growth habits, form, flowering, fall color, and disease and insect resistance.
What is lacking is the potential impact on the environment. No one is looking at the potential for these cultivars to produce viable seed which can throw back to one parent tree or another. Many of these cultivars have parent trees that are non-native and known to be environmentally invasive.
This project is designed to observe seed production, viability, and the potential for another means of introducing invasive species. less ↑