Ulmus 'Morton Glossy'

Ulmus hybrid
'Triumph', aged 4 years, Great Fontley, UK
Details
Hybrid parentage	'Morton' (Accolade) × 'Morton Plainsman' (Vanguard)
Cultivar	'Morton Glossy' = Triumph™
Origin	USA

The elm cultivar 'Morton Glossy' (Triumph) was originally known as 'Charisma' until it was realized that name had already been registered for another plant. The tree was derived from a crossing of two hybrids grown at the Morton Arboretum, 'Morton' (Accolade) and 'Morton Plainsman' (Vanguard).

Description

'Morton Glossy' (Triumph) has been promoted in the USA as "strong and symmetrical" in growth and habit [2]. However, its performance in the southern United States has not impressed, and it was dismissed, along with its stablemates 'Morton Stalwart' and 'Morton Plainsman' as "ugly" by Michael Dirr, Professor of Horticulture at the University of Georgia [3], on account of its "wild" growth and splaying branches, a judgment confirmed by trials in the UK ^[1]. The leaves are a deep glossy green when mature, < 10 cm in length by 5 cm broad, with rough upper surface and finely toothed margins. 'Morton Glossy' (Triumph) is one of the first elms to shed its leaves in the fall, usually by early October.

In commerce, the tree is propagated by grafting onto an Ulmus pumila rootstock.

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Pests and diseases

Resistant to Dutch elm disease, 'Morton Glossy' (Triumph) is highly susceptible to attack by elm leaf beetle Xanthogaleruca luteola [4] ^[2] [5] and Japanese beetle ^{[3] [4]}.

Cultivation

The tree, under its original name of 'Charisma', featured in the elm trials [6] conducted by Northern Arizona University at Holbrook, eastern Arizona. 'Morton Glossy' is very cold-hardy; in artificial freezing tests at the arboretum ^[5] the LT50 (temp. at which 50% of tissues die) was found to be - 40 °C.

The tree is currently being evaluated in the National Elm Trial[7] coordinated by Colorado State University.

'Morton Glossy' Triumph was commercially released in the UK in 2005 (180 sold in 2006). Several specimens were acquired for assessment by Butterfly Conservation in Hampshire ^[1]. It has grown quickly if untidily at most sites, although its stem has proven weak and unable to support its burgeoning crown, necessitating continued staking. Moreover, unlike 'Morton' (Accolade), it has also proved intolerant of ponding on poorly-drained soils over winter.

Synonymy

• 'Charisma': initial name accorded until 1995.

Accessions

North America

• Arnold Arboretum. Acc. no. 132-2002
• Bartlett Tree Experts. Acc. nos. 2001-104, 2001-105
• Bickelhaupt Arboretum. Acc. no. 02-038
• Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe, Illinois. Planted in the Parking Lots, no other details available.
• Dawes Arboretum [8], Newark, Ohio. 3 trees. No acc. details available.
• Morton Arboretum. Acc. nos. 135-94, 523-99, 212-2004, 497-2004, 630-2004, 1090-2004.
• Parker Arboretum, Parker, Colorado. No acc. details.
• University of Idaho Arboretum. Two trees. Acc. no. 2000091

Europe

• Great Fontley Farm, Fareham, UK, Butterfly Conservation Elm Trials plantation, Home Field L2, (planted 2007).
• Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, UK. Acc. no. 20070379

Nurseries

North America

• Acorn Farms [9], Galena, Ohio.
• Bailey Nurseries [10], St. Paul, Minnesota.
• Carlton Plants, LLC [11], Dayton, Oregon.
• Charles J. Fiore [12], Prairie View, Illinois.
• J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. [13], Boring, Oregon
• Johnson's Nursery [14], Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin
• North American Plants [15], Lafayette, Oregon
• Sun Valley Garden Centre [16], Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

Europe

• Dulford Nurseries [17], Cullompton, Devon, UK.
• Wisley Plant Centre (RHS), Woking, Surrey, UK.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Brookes, A. H. (2010). Disease-resistant elm cultivars: Butterfly Conservation trials report, 2010. Butterfly Conservation, Hants & IoW Branch, England. [1]
2. ^ McPherson, G. et al. (2008). National elm trial: Initial report from Northern California. Western Arborist, Fall 2009, pp 32-36.
3. ^ Giblin, C. P. & Gillman, J. H. (2006). Elms for the Twin Cities: A Guide for Selection and Maintenance. University of Minnesota.
4. ^ Brady, C., Condra, J., & Potter, D. (2008) Resistance of Landscape-suitable Elm (Ulmus spp.) Cultivars to Japanese Beetle, Leaf Miners, and Gall Makers. 2008 Research Report, Nursery & Landscape Program, pp 15, 16. University of Kentucky.
5. ^ Shirazi, A. M. & Ware, G. H. (2004). Evaluation of New Elms from China for Cold Hardiness in Northern Latitudes. International Symposium on Asian Plant Diversity & Systematics 2004, Sakura, Japan.

External links

• http://fletcher.ces.state.nc.us/programs/nursery/metria/metria11/warren/elm.htm Warren, K., J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. (2002). The Status of Elms in the Nursery Industry in 2000.
• http://www.mortonarb.org/plantinfo/plantclinic/phc/New-Elms-For-The-Landscape.pdf. Miller, F. (2002). New elms for the landscape and urban forest.