View source for Ulmus davidiana var. japonica

{{SPlantbox
|familia=Ulmaceae
|genus=Ulmus
|species=davidiana
|cultivar=japonica
|common_name=Japanese elm
|habit=tree
|habit_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|Max ht box=100
|Max ht metric=ft
|height_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|Max wd box=60
|Max wd metric=ft
|width_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|lifespan=perennial
|exposure=sun
|sun_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|Temp Metric=°F
|min_zone=5
|usda_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|max_zone=9
|image=Japanese elm.jpg
|image_width=240
}}
'''''Ulmus davidiana''''' var. '''''japonica''''' <small>Rehder</small>, the '''Japanese Elm''', is one of the larger and more graceful Asiatic elms, endemic to much of continental north-east [[Asia]] and [[Japan]], where it is most commonly found growing in swamp forest on young alluvial soils.

Size and shape are variable, ranging from short trees bearing densely-branched broad crowns to tall, single-stemmed trees with narrow crowns <ref name=Heybroek,a>Heybroek, H. M. (1981). The Japanese elm species and their value for the Dutch elm breeding program. ''Proceedings of the Dutch Elm Disease symposium and workshop''. October 5–9, 1981, Winnipeg, Manitoba. pp 78–90</ref>. The young shoots often bear corky wings, similar to those of the European [[Field Elm]] ''U. minor'', to which it is closely related. The leaves are generally [[leaf shape|obovate]], < 11 cm long, and with a coarse upper surface. The [[perfect flower|perfect]], [[apetalous]] wind-pollinated flowers emerge in early spring, before the leaves. The [[Samara (fruit)|samara]], <15 mm long, is obovate to orbicular, occasionally hairy over its entire surface but more often glabrous <ref name=Heybroek>Heybroek, H. M. (1981). The Japanese elm species and their value for the Dutch elm breeding program. ''Proceedings of the Dutch Elm Disease symposium and workshop''. October 5–9, 1981, Winnipeg, Manitoba. pp 78–90.</ref><ref name=Fu> Fu, L., Xin, Y. & Whittemore, A. (2002). Ulmaceae, in Wu, Z. & Raven, P. (eds) ''Flora of China'', Vol. 5 (Ulmaceae through Basellaceae). Science Press, Beijing, and Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis, USA [http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/PDF/PDF05/Ulmus.pdf]</ref>.

{{Inc|
Ulmus japonica, Sarg. (U. campestris var. japonica, Rehd.). Tree, to 100 ft., with a broad head and often more or less pendulous branchlets: young branchlets densely pubescent and rough with minute tubercles, pale yellowish brown, sometimes developing corky ridges: lvs. obovate or elliptic, acuminate, oblique at the base, scabrous and hairy above, pubescent beneath with slight axillary tufts of hairs, 3-5 in. long; pairs of veins 12-16; petiole 1/6 – 1/4 in. long, densely pubescent: fls. nearly sessile, tetramerous: fr. obovate-oblong, about 3/4 in. long, gradually narrowed toward the base, with an open notch at the apex; seed touching the notch. Japan, Manchuria, Amurland. — Intro. into the Arnold Arboretum in 1895; it has proved perfectly hardy there, grows rapidly, and promises to become a valuable ornamental tree.
}}

==Cultivation==
Unlike many Asiatic species, Japanese Elm is tolerant of a mild, maritime climate with heavy winter rainfall. Specimens planted [[England]] in 1977 have grown very well on heavy clay in an open location.

===Propagation===


===Pests and diseases===
Natural populations of Japanese Elm have a low to moderate resistance to [[Dutch elm disease]].

==Varieties==
''[[Ulmus × mesocarpa]]'', a natural hybrid of ''U. davidiana'' var. ''japonica'' and ''[[Ulmus macrocarpa]]'' was discovered in [[South Korea]] in the 1980s <ref name=Kim>Kim, M., &  Lee, S. (1989). ''Korean J. Pl. Taxon.'' 19(1) (1989)</ref>.

The Japanese Elm was widely used in the USA in hybridization experiments at the Morton Arboretum and University of Wisconsin <ref name=Santamour> Santamour, J., Frank, S. & Bentz, S. (1995). Updated checklist of elm (Ulmus) cultivars for use in North America. ''Journal of Arboriculture'', 21:3 (May 1995), 121-131. International Society of Arboriculture, Champaign, Illinois, USA </ref><ref name=Smalley> Smalley, E. B. & Guries, R. P. (1993). Breeding Elms for Resistance to Dutch Elm Disease. ''Annual Review of Phytopathology'' Vol. 31 : 325-354. Palo Alto, California</ref>, resulting in the release of the following cultivars: [[Cathedral (elm hybrid)|Cathedral]], [[Morton, (Accolade)|Morton (<tt>Accolade</tt>)]], [[Morton Glossy (Triumph)|Morton Glossy (<tt>Triumph</tt>)]], [[Morton Plainsman (Vanguard)|Morton Plainsman (<tt>Vanguard</tt>)]], [[Morton Red Tip (Danada Charm)|Morton Red Tip (<tt>Danada Charm</tt>)]], [[Morton Stalwart (Commendation)|Morton Stalwart (<tt>Commendation</tt>)]], [[New Horizon (elm hybrid)|New Horizon]], [[Patriot (elm cultivar)|Patriot]], [[Rebone (elm cultivar)|Rebone]],  [[Repura (elm cultivar)|Repura]], [[Revera (elm cultivar)|Revera]], and [[Sapporo Autumn Gold (elm hybrid)|Sapporo Autumn Gold]].

The species has also been crossed with Dutch hybrids by the Istituto per la Protezione delle Piante (IPP) in [[Florence]], [[Italy]]. Three clones are currently (2008) under evaluation in Italy, and [[England]] (by ''[[Butterfly Conservation]]''): FL 601, FL 610 and FL 626.

The tree was assessed in [[Canada]] as a substitute for native elms which had succumbed to Dutch elm disease. A number of particularly hardy cultivars were released there in the 1980s; two cultivars were also raised in the [[USA]][http://fletcher.ces.state.nc.us/programs/nursery/metria/metria11/warren/elm.htm]:  [[Discovery (elm cultivar)|Discovery]], [[Emerald Sunshine (elm cultivar)|Emerald Sunshine]] (formerly treated under ''U. propinqua'' <small>Koidz.</small>),
[[Freedom (elm cultivar)|Freedom]], [[Jacan (elm cultivar)|Jacan]], [[Mitsui Centennial (elm cultivar)|Mitsui Centennial]], [[Prospector (elm cultivar)|Prospector]] (formerly treated under Wilson's Elm ''U. wilsoniana'' <small> C.K. Schneid.</small>), and [[Thomson (elm cultivar)|Thomson]] <ref name=Burdekin> Burdekin, D. A. & Rushforth, K. D. (revised by Webber, J. F., 1996). Elms resistant to Dutch elm disease. ''Arboricultural Research Note 2/96''. Arboricultural Advisory & Information Service, Alice Holt Lodge, Farnham, England.</ref>. However, most of the Canadian clones have now been withdrawn from commerce owing to the Canadian government's restrictions on the movement of elm within the country, adopted to prevent the spread of Dutch elm disease.  

==Gallery==
<gallery perrow=5>
Image:Japanese elm leaves.jpg|
Image:Upload.png| photo 1
Image:Upload.png| photo 2
Image:Upload.png| photo 3
</gallery>

==References==
<references/>
<!--- xxxxx  *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381  -->
<!--- xxxxx  *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432  -->
<!--- xxxxx  *Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608  -->

==External links==
*{{wplink}}

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