Ulmus 'Plinio'

Elm cultivar
Ulmus 'Plinio'
'Plinio' on chalk, Ports Down, UK.
GenusUlmus
Hybrid parentage'Plantyn' × U. pumila 'S.2'
Cultivar'Plinio'
OriginIPP, Florence, Italy

Ulmus 'Plinio' is a hybrid elm cultivar derived from a crossing of the Dutch cultivar 'Plantyn' (female parent) with the Siberian Elm Ulmus pumila clone 'S.2'. 'Plinio' was raised by the Istituto per la Protezione delle Piante (IPP), in Florence and released for sale in 2003. 'Plinio' was introduced to the UK in 2004 by Hampshire & Isle of Wight Branch, Butterfly Conservation, as part of its assessment of DED-resistant cultivars as potential hosts of the endangered White-letter Hairstreak.[1]

Description

In Italy, 'Plinio' is a rounded tree with a broad crown, the width typically equalling 70% of height, and a short, often bent, trunk. The dark-green leaves are < 6.5 cm long by 3 cm broad and glabrous on both sides, on < 6 mm petioles.[2][3] Like its compatriot 'San Zanobi', the tree is not possessed of striking autumn colours, the leaves remaining green almost until they fall in late November. The perfect, apetalous wind-pollinated flowers appear in mid March in the UK. The sessile samarae are round, 17–22 mm in diameter. Seed has exhibited a modest viability of between 10% and 20%.[1]

  • 'Plinio' leaves
    'Plinio' leaves
  • 'Plinio' samarae
    'Plinio' samarae
  • 'Plinio' on fertile soil, Sir Harold Hillier Gardens
    'Plinio' on fertile soil, Sir Harold Hillier Gardens
  • 'Plinio' on fertile soil, Great Fontley, UK
    'Plinio' on fertile soil, Great Fontley, UK
  • Bark of 20-year-old tree
    Bark of 20-year-old tree

Pests and diseases

'Plinio' has a very high resistance to Dutch Elm Disease. In trials conducted by the Istituto per la Protezione delle Piante, Florence, 'Plinio' sustained 7.8% defoliation and 3.9% dieback when inoculated with unnaturally high concentrations of the fungal pathogen, compared with 50% / 35.5% resp. for 'Lobel', and 95% / 100% for 'CNR118', a Field Elm (Ulmus minor) native to Italy.[2]

Cultivation

Fast growing (though slower than its stablemate 'San Zanobi') in Italy, where it commences flowering in its third year. The tree was introduced to the UK by Butterfly Conservation in 2004 and is being evaluated at several sites in Hampshire, where it has been found to be particularly successful on thin dry rendzinas. However, on more fertile soils, the relatively sparse and splaying top growth often exceeds stem and root development.[1]

As of 1 January 2018, the importation of 'Plinio' into the UK from Italy is prohibited, the plant unable to qualify for a phytopassport owing to the prevalence of Elm Yellows in the region of cultivation.[4]

'Plinio' is not known (2016) to have been introduced to North America or Australasia.

Etymology

'Plinio' is named for the early Roman scientist Pliny the Elder (Plinio in Italian).

Accessions

Europe

Nurseries

Europe

References

  1. ^ a b c Brookes, A. H. (2020). Great Fontley Elm Trial, 2020 Report. Butterfly Conservation, Lulworth, England.
  2. ^ a b Santini A., Fagnani A., Ferrini F. & Mittempergher L., (2002) 'San Zanobi' and 'Plinio' elm trees. [1] HortScience 37(7): 1139-1141. 2002. American Society for Horticultural Science, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA
  3. ^ Santini A., Fagnani A., Ferrini F., Mittempergher L., Brunetti M., Crivellaro A., Macchioni N., Elm breeding for DED resistance, the Italian clones and their wood properties. [2] Invest Agrar: Sist. Recur. For. (2004) 13 (1), 179–184. 2004.
  4. ^ DEFRA. (2018). UK Plant Health Controls
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Species, varieties and subspecies
  • U. alata (Winged elm)
  • U. americana (American elm)
  • U. americana var. floridana (Florida elm)
  • U. bergmanniana (Bergmann's elm)
  • U. bergmanniana var. bergmanniana
  • U. bergmanniana var. lasiophylla
  • U. castaneifolia (Chestnut-leafed or multinerved elm)
  • U. changii (Hangzhou elm)
  • U. changii var. changii
  • U. changii var. kunmingensis (Kunming elm)
  • U. chenmoui (Chenmou or Langya Mountain elm)
  • U. chumlia
  • U. crassifolia (Cedar or Texas cedar elm)
  • U. davidiana (David or Father David elm)
  • U. davidiana var. davidiana
  • U. davidiana var. japonica (Japanese elm)
  • U. elongata (Long raceme elm)
  • U. gaussenii (Anhui or hairy elm)
  • U. glabra (Wych or scots elm)
  • U. glaucescens (Gansu elm)
  • U. glaucescens var. glaucescens
  • U. glaucescens var. lasiocarpa (hairy-fruited glaucescent elm)
  • U. harbinensis (Harbin elm)
  • U. ismaelis
  • U. laciniata (Manchurian cut-leaf or lobed elm)
  • U. laciniata var. nikkoensis (Nikko elm)
  • U. laevis (European white elm)
  • U. laevis var. celtidea
  • U. laevis var. parvifolia
  • U. laevis var. simplicidens
  • U. lamellosa (Hebei elm)
  • U. lanceifolia (Vietnam elm)
  • U. macrocarpa (Large-fruited elm)
  • U. macrocarpa var. glabra
  • U. macrocarpa var. macrocarpa
  • U. mexicana (Mexican elm)
  • U. microcarpa (Tibetan elm)
  • U. minor (Field elm)
  • U. minor subsp. minor
  • U. minor var. italica
  • U. parvifolia (Chinese or lacebark elm)
  • U. parvifolia var. coreana (Korean elm)
  • U. prunifolia (Cherry-leafed elm)
  • U. pseudopropinqua (Harbin spring elm)
  • U. pumila (Siberian elm)
  • U. rubra (Slippery elm)
  • U. serotina (September elm)
  • U. szechuanica (Szechuan (Sichuan) or red-fruited elm)
  • U. thomasii (Rock or cork elm)
  • U. uyematsui (Alishan elm)
  • U. villosa (Cherry-bark or marn elm)
  • U. wallichiana (Himalayan or kashmir elm)
  • U. wallichiana subsp. wallichiana
  • U. wallichiana subsp. xanthoderma
  • U. wallichiana var. tomentosa
Disputed species, varieties and subspecies
  • U. boissieri
  • U. minor subsp. canescens (Grey, grey-leafed or hoary elm)
  • U. elliptica
Hybrids
  • U. davidiana var. japonica × U. minor
  • U. × arbuscula
  • U. × arkansana
  • U. × brandisiana
  • U. × diversifolia
  • U. × hollandica (Dutch elm)
  • U. × hollandica var. insularum
  • U. × intermedia
  • U. × mesocarpa
Species cultivars
American elm
Cedar elm
Chinese elm
European white elm
Field elm
Japanese elm
Siberian elm
Winged elm
Wych elm
Hybrid cultivars
Dutch elm
U. × intermedia
Unconfirmed derivation cultivarsFossil elms
  • U. okanaganensis