Helping the American Elm make a Comeback

In the 1950’s, 1960’s, and 1970’s, a tragedy struck down the beautiful elms which graced the neighborhoods. Main streets, shady parks, historic sites and tree lined neighborhoods were stripped bare of the graceful elm trees. An epidemic had appeared in the shape of a deadly fungus.

Beautiful Elms grace this neighborhood

The same neighborhood stripped bare of the majestic Elms

This parasitic fungus was spread by elm bark beetles. These beetles would chew twigs and the crotch of the elm trees releasing the spores of the fungus through the tree’s vascular system. The spores would grow into fungal threads, clogging the elm trees vascular system. The tree would then be denied water and nutrients to the crown of the tree, thereby killing it. This fungus was even worse than the chestnut blight. The elm pathogen destroyed even the root system of the tree which was its host. It prevented the tree from spreading new shoots. An even bigger problem was the disease was spread to nearby trees through natural grafts between the tree roots.

The fungus originally appeared in Cleveland, Ohio in 1930. It was imported from Asia on infected logs from a related elm species. The native species in Asia were resistant to this fungus. In fact, the fungus served a purpose of eliminating old or weak elms to provide room for the new growth. Not so over here. It devastated our American elms almost into extinction.

For the American elm to make a comeback, we have to act now. Most of the American Elms are gone and healthy mature native specimens are rare. However, there is hope. The Princeton Elm has a resistance to this dreaded disease. By planting one now in your yard or your garden, you are planting not only for now but for the future.