Ulmus 'Homestead' is an American hybrid elm cultivar raised by Alden Townsend of the United States National Arboretum at the Nursery Crops Laboratory in Delaware, Ohio. The cultivar arose from a 1970 crossing of the Siberian Elm Ulmus pumila (female parent) with the hybrid N 215 ('Commelin' × (U. pumila 'Pinnato-ramosa' × U. minor 'Hoersholmiensis')), the latter grown from seed sent in 1960 to the University of Wisconsin-Madison elm breeding team by Hans Heybroek of the De Dorschkamp Research Institute in the Netherlands. Tested in the US National Elm Trial coordinated by Colorado State University, 'Homestead' averaged a survival rate of 85% after 10 years in the US National Elm Trial. However, planting of the tree was discouraged, owing principally to its 'ugly' shape and susceptibility to Southwest injury.West, T. P. (2022) Elms, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly. NDSU North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station. 'Homestead' was released to commerce without patent restrictions in 1984.

Description The tree rapidly produces very upright growth, increasing in height by as much as 2 m per annum,McPherson, G. et al. (2008). National elm trial: Initial report from Northern California. Western Arborist, Fall 2009, 32–36. forming a pyramidal crown bearing dark green leaves < 7 cm long by 3.5 cm broad which turn straw yellow in autumn; the bark is dark grey.Photograph of 'Homestead' elm, . The perfect, apetalous wind-pollinated flowers appear in early March."Herbarium specimen - 1235766" New York Botanical Garden Steere Herbarium Sheet labelled Ulmus 'Homestead' (flowers); "Herbarium specimen - 02466382" New York Botanical Garden Steere Herbarium Sheet labelled Ulmus 'Homestead' (samarae and new leaves) The tree's ultimate height should be around 20 m, with a spread of 12 m.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, US. Townsend, A. M. & Masters, W. O., HortScience, 19: 897-898, 1984.

Pests and diseases 'Homestead' has a high resistance, rated 4–5 out of 5,Heybroek, H. M., Goudzwaard, L, Kaljee, H. (2009). Iep of olm, karakterboom van de Lage Landen (:Elm, a tree with character of the Low Countries). KNNV, Uitgeverij. to Dutch elm disease, but can be heavily to severely damaged by the elm leaf beetle Xanthogaleruca luteola and Japanese beetleBrady, 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, 15–16. University of Kentucky. in the US. 'Homestead' appears highly resistant to elm yellows,Sinclair, W. A., Townsend, A. M., Griffiths, H. M., & Whitlow, T. H. (2000). Responses of six Eurasian Ulmus cultivars to a North American elm yellows phytoplasma. Plant disease, Vol. 84, No.12, 1266–1270. American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN and was adjudged "resistant" to black spot by the Plant Diagnostic Clinic of the University of Missouri .

Cultivation The tree proved intolerant of hot and arid conditions in eastern Arizona, where it exhibited high (> 50%) of dieback in trials conducted by Northern Arizona University . Trials conducted by the University of Minnesota confirmed the tree's susceptibility to sun scorch, and its vulnerability to cambial damage over winter, although neither failing appeared to affect its long-term performance.Giblin, C. P. & Gillman, J. H. (2006). Elms for the Twin Cities: A Guide for Selection and Maintenance. University of Minnesota. The tree is currently being evaluated in the National Elm Trial coordinated by Colorado State University. Six 'Homestead', planted 2004, line the walkway to the arch of Weatherford Hall, Oregon State University, Corvallis.Ulmus 'Homestead', Oregon State University; Dept. of Horticulture, landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu

'Homestead' has had a limited introduction to Europe; experimental plantings were made along streets in Brighton, England, and in several Dutch cities, notably Beethovenstraat in Amsterdam, along the N360 at Ten Boer, and the Ijsselstraat at Hengelo. However, many of the Netherlands trees have since been replaced by the more DED-resistant 'Columella'. In 2016 'Homestead' was planted among the line of 140 elms on the ‘s-Gravelandsevaartweg, Loosdrecht, part of Wijdemeren City Council's elm collection, assembled since 2003 by tree manager Martin Tijdgat and his colleagues.Hanneke Tax, Tijdgat, bomenman van de gemeente Wijdemeren en iepenexpert', 25 May 2022; boomzorg.nl Contains north to south names-list. M. Tijdgat, 'Ulmus – Gebruikswaarde- en sortimentsonderzoek in de praktijk', Dendroflora 56, 2020. p.80; edepot.wur.nlHanneke Tax, 'Iepenallee 's-Gravelandsevaartweg', 1 May 2023, boomzorg.nl Tijdgat noted that in older trees "the young, slender twigs hang gracefully", making 'Homestead' suitable for planting along ponds and water. The tree also featured in trials in New Zealand during the 1990s at the Hortresearch station, Palmerston North.

'Homestead' is very easily propagated from hardwood cuttings taken in February, placed in a 50:50 vermiculite / perlite medium and subjected to a bottom heat of @ 18°C.

Notable trees The largest specimens in the UK are to be found at Preston Park, Brighton, measuring 9 m high by 25 cm d.b.h. in 2009.Johnson, O. (2011). Champion Trees of Britain & Ireland, p. 169. Kew Publishing, Kew, London. .

Accessions North America Bartlett Tree Experts, US. Acc. nos. 2001-100/1/2 Brooklyn Botanic Garden , US. Acc. no. 20040605. Brenton Arboretum, US. 5 trees, acquired 2009. Acc. no. not known. Denver Botanic Gardens, US. no details available Dominion Arboretum, Canada. No acc. details. Holden Arboretum, US. Acc no. 90-57 Louisville Arboretum, US. no details available Morton Arboretum, US. Acc. no. 964-2004 New York Botanical Garden, US. Acc. nos. 1934/94, 954/97 Smith College, US. Acc. no. 4403. University of Idaho Arboretum, US. Acc. no. 1990012 U S National Arboretum , Washington, D.C., US. Acc. nos. 76487, 76251. Europe Brighton & Hove City Council, UK. NCCPG Elm Collection. Grange Farm Arboretum, Sutton St James, UK. Great Fontley Elm Plantation, Funtley, Fareham, UK. One small sapling acquired winter 2022.

Nurseries North America Acorn Farms , Galena, Ohio, US. Bailey Nurseries , St. Paul, Minnesota, US. Carlton Plants, LLC , Dayton, Oregon, US. Charles J. Fiore , US. J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. , Boring, Oregon, US. Johnson's Nursery , Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, US. Sun Valley Garden Centre , Eden Prairie, Minnesota, US. Europe Batouwe Boomkwekerij B.V., , Dodewaard, Netherlands. Noordplant , Glimmen, Netherlands. Westerveld Boomkwekerij B.V. , Opheusden, Netherlands.

References

External links https://web.archive.org/web/20030413074605/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.