Sunday, August 9, 2009

Camperdown Elm

The Camperdown elm wouldn't exist had it not been for David Taylor. In Scotland around 1840, working as the Earl of Camperdown's head forester, he discovered a mutant contorted branch in the forest. The first Camperdown elm was cultivated by grafting the branch to the trunk of a Wych elm (Ulmus glabra).

(peeking under the canopy)

Every Camperdown elm in the world is from a cutting of that original tree. Cuttings are usually grafted onto Wych elms, but other grafting stock can be used, including Dutch elm, Siberian elm, and English elm.

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