Ulmus 'Stavast' is a Dutch hybrid elm cultivar raised at the Dorschkamp Research Institute for Forestry & Landscape Planning, Wageningen, as clone '622' from the crossing of 'Commelin' with clone '202','Clone 202' herbarium leaves specimen WAG.1846635 (U. 'Exoniensis' × U. wallichiana), Baarn, 1962; bioportal.naturalis.nl'Clone 202' fruit and new leaves, herbarium specimen WAG.1846637, Baarn, 1962; bioportal.naturalis.nl itself a hybrid of the Exeter Elm Ulmus 'Exoniensis' and Himalayan Elm Ulmus wallichiana.
Description The tree is distinguished by its dense root system.Ronnie Nijboer, 'Bomenwacht Groningen: Toekomst voor de iep' (Tree Watch Groningen: Future for the elm); stichtinggroningerbomenwacht.nlPhotograph of 'Stavast', Lepelaarweg, Zeewolde, in Martin Tijdgat, ''Ulmus – Gebruikswaarde- en sortimentsonderzoek in de praktijk', Dendroflora 56, 2020; edepot.wur.nl
Pests and diseases 'Stavast' has only a moderate resistance to Dutch elm disease, rated 3 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.
Cultivation 'Stavast' has not been in commerce in its own right much. It was retained as a rootstock for the grafting of related elms like 'Dodoens', 'Plantyn', and 'Clusius' (cultivars now propagated by rooted cuttings R. Nijboer, 'Iepziekte en onderstamkeuze', Dendroflora, 56, 2020), as its dense root-system quickly stabilized young trees.. Specimens of the cultivar have been planted in the Netherlands, in the elm trial plantation at Lepelaarweg, Zeewolde,'Bijzondere iepen langs Lepelaarweg', 18 December 2017 in the Het Egeltjesbos public park in the village of De Kwakel, Uithoorn (one tree), and among the lines of elms on the ‘s-Gravelandsevaartweg, Loosdrecht (10 trees, planted 2018), part of Wijdemeren City Council's elm collection, assembled since 2003 by tree manager Martin Tijdgat and his colleagues.Bart Mullink,'Bekering gemeente Wijdemeren tot de iep loopt als een trein', 23 August 2018; boomzorg.nlSylvia de Witt, 'Wijdemeren is building an elm arboretum', boomzorg.nlMartin Tijdgat and Karlijn Raats, 'Plenty to choose from in the world of elms: classic Wageningen cultivars, modern resistant elms and botanical species', 10 May 2021, boomzorg.nl
A number of 'Stavast' were exported to New Zealand for use in trials at the Hortresearch station at Palmerston North in the 1990s.
Etymology The name 'Stavast' is Dutch for "stand firmly", but is also used to describe someone of resolute character.
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