The renowned Scottish tree expert and botanical illustrator David John More has confirmed that the old elm tree on the river bank in the middle of Ladywell Fields is a European White elm and not, as the sign suggests, a Klemmer Dutch elm. Our Ladywell Fields elm is one of the few distinguished specimens which survived the virulent spread of Dutch elm disease in the 1970s and 80s when more than 25 million trees died in the UK.
David tells us that Scolytus beetles, the carriers of the elm disease fungus, tend to avoid the European White variety of elm because of chemicals in its twigs which render the bark distasteful. The Scolytus will however feed on European White elm if they cannot find their preferred species, English elm and Wych elm, in the vicinity.
The key to the lucky survival of the Ladywell elm may well have been the presence of other elm trees nearby. The User Group have recently planted more Wych elm in the Tiny Forest along the western border of the middle field. Should try to plant even more?
David John More is currently working on a new book of elms, which includes this illustration based on photos of the Ladywell elm provided the User Group.
