ELM TREE DATA
This page contains the summary data and images (when available) of the elms entered into the data base
maintained by Don Hayward.
The purpose of this data base is to track as many individual trees as practical over a long time
period. Hopefully this will create a body of information that might be used in mortality studies related
to Dutch Elm Disease and other impacts upon these species. At the moment I have neither the resources
nor the training to investigate any of these issues more deeply.
Identification of individual species can be very difficult. The three main types of native elm
(American or White Elm; Slippery Elm; and Rock Elm) and other introduced types such as English Elm
seem to have inter-bred and formed intermediate varieties. Many individuals show a confusing mixture
of trunk suckers, multiple trunks and unformed crowns. These are very hard to classify. This may have
been enhanced by the impact of Dutch Elm Disease killing off most of the mature pure specimens of
the main varieties. These hybrids may be more numerous because there were fewer individuals of each
species to pollinate. In addition this high part of southern Ontario is the boundry area for the ranges
of many species of plants and animals. Even though "official" range maps may not include this area,
individuals of these species may be found here. Such is the case for the Rock Elm and Slippery Elm.
Corrections to any identifications in this data will be appreciated.
Some general observations:
The vast majority of elms in this area are either solitary trees or those surviving in fence rows and along
roadsides. Some abandoned fields are showing widspread new growth that could turn into pure stands
in the future. These are interesting areas for study and I may try to include one of these sites as a
seperate project, or better still, someone else will become interested in this.
Because of the altitude here and our location between three of the Great Lakes, we have very strong winds
and frequent ice storms. Both of these are very damaging to isolated trees and only the toughness of the
elm's wood prevents these trees from suffering even more.
Elm 1999_1 (no photo)
Ulmus americana L.
American Elm
Circumference: 188cm
Branching at 4 meters
Well drained roadside in a thick windbreak of sugar maples.
Soil is Parkhill loam with limestone til sub-soil.
No visible damage.
Entered: September 11,1999
Amaranth Lot30ECon8
Coordinates
41A/1 571776
Watershed
Grand R.
Elm 1999_2 (no photo)
Ulmus americana L.
American Elm
Circumference: 128 cm
Branching at 7 meters
Site: well drained roadside ditch. Open along fenceline.
Soil: Parkhill loam with limestone til sub-soil.
There is no visible damage but small suckers are found all up the trunk.
Entered September 11,1999
Amaranth Lot30WCon8
Coordinates
41A/1 566775
Watershed
Grand R.
Elm 1999_3 (no photo)
Ulmus americana L.
American Elm
Circumference: 174 cm
Branching at: 5 meters
Site: well drained roadside ditch 10 meters from 1999_2
Soil: Parkhill loam on limestone til sub-soil
There is no damage but suckers are found on the trunk and branches.
Entered September 11,1999
Amaranth Lot30WCon8
Coordinates
41A/1 566775
Watershed
Grand R.
Elm 1999_4
Ulmus americana L.
American Elm
Circumference: 273cm
Branching at: 5 meters
Site is well drained roadside ditch beside a cultivated field high on a ridge.
The soil is Parkhill loam with gravel sub-soil.
There is no damage, and one large sucker (100cm in circ.) is growing from the root.
The photo is taken looking north north-east. Note some reduction of foliage on the west
exposure.
Entered September 14,1999
Amaranth Lot3W Con2
Coordinates
40P/16 669633
Watershed
Grand R.
Elm 1999_5
Ulmus americana L.
American Elm
Circumference: 202cm
Branching at: 9 meters
Site is well drained roadside and the grass is mowed by the adjacent landowner.
Soil is Parkhill loam with limestone til sub-soil.
There is no obvious sickness and no damage. An upper limb has been pruned. The photo is taken
looking north. The reduced foliage on the west side of the tree compared to the east and the slight lean
show the impact of the prevailing westerly winds.
Entered: September 18,1999
Melancthon Lot 5E,Con2 WHS
Coordinates
41A/1 644837
Watershed
Nottawasaga R. (Boyne R.)
Elm 1999_6a & 6b
Ulmus rubra
Slippery Elm
Circumference: A: 122 cm; B: 91 cm
Branching: A: 5M; B: 6M
Site: Peat bog very moist but above drainage ditch.
Soil: Black muck, dub-soil uncertain but probably limestone til.
Good healthy condition but trunk A has missing limbs high up.
There are some suckers on trunk B.
Both trunks are on the same root but both begin at ground level.
Entered September 18,1999
Melancthon Lot305 WTS
Coordinates
41A/1 605797
Watershed
Grand R. (Willow Brook)
Elm 1999_7
Ulmus americana L.
American Elm
Circumference: 250 cm
Branching: 2 meters
Site: Well drained roadside
Soil: Parkhill loam with limestone til sub-soil
Good healthy condition. A sign is nailed to the trunk.
Suckers on limbs
Entered: September 21,1999
Amaranth Lot32W Con6
Coordinates
41A/1 592794
Watershed
Grand R. (Willow Brook)
Elm 1999_8 (no photo)
Ulmus americana L.
American Elm
Circumference: 127 cm
Branching: 6 meters
Site: Well drained roadside in sugar maple windbreak.
Soil: Parkhill loam with limestone til sub-soil.
Healthy with no damage.
Suckers are present on trunk.
Entered: September 21,1999
Amaranth Lot30E Con7
Coordinates
41A/1 584780
Watershed
Grand R.
Elm 1999_9
Ulmus rubra Muhl.
Slippery Elm
Circumference: 276 cm
Branching at: 4 meters
Site: Well drained roadside, grass cut by adjacent landowner.
Soil: n/a
Healthy but with one small dead limb.
Some small suckers on trunk.
Entered: September 22,1999
Wellington County
Erin Twp Lot 6103
3rd Line 1.3Km south of Orton
Coordinates
40P/16 628468
Watershed
Grand R. (Speed R.)
Elm 1999_10a & b
Ulmus rubra Muhl.
Slippery Elm
Circumference: A 170cm; B 85cm
Branching: A 4M; B 2M
Site: well drained roadside and fence row
Soil: Parkhill loam with gravel sub-soil.
Healthy with many branches all up the trunk. Both trunks start at ground level.
Entered: September 27,1999
Melancthon Lot14E Con2 WHS
Coordinates
41A/1 630890
Watershed
Nottawasaga R. (Pine R.)
