The Wych Elm cultivar ''Ulmus glabra'' 'Nigra', commonly known as the Black Irish Elm, was found in the

Kilkenny Kilkenny (). is a city in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region and in the province of Leinster. It is built on both banks of the River Nore. The 2016 census gave the total population of Kilkenny as 26,512. Kilken ...

area c.1770 by the father of nurseryman John Robertson of Kilkenny, who later cultivated it.Robertson, J., 'The Black Irish Elm' (letter, 18 Feb. 1837), ''Gardener's Magazine'', vol. 13 (1837), p.237 Robertson stated that he had not seen the form outside Ireland. It was listed by Loddiges (1830) as ''Ulmus nigra'',Loddiges, Conrad, & Sons, ''Catalogue of Plants'', 15th edn. (1830), p.61 and described by Loudon in ''Arboretum et Fruticetum Britannicum'' (1838), as ''Ulmus montana nigra''.''Arboretum et Fruticetum Britannicum'', 3: 1398, 1838
/ref> 'Nigra' is not mentioned in either

Elwes Elwes () is an English surname whose spelling over the years has included Helwish, Helewise, Helwys, Elwaiss, Elwaies and Elway. It may refer to: * Columba Cary-Elwes (1903–1994), English Benedictine monk * Elwes baronets, 1660–1787 * Eva Elwes ...

and Henry's or Bean'sBean, W. J. (1981). ''Trees and shrubs hardy in Great Britain'', 7th edition. Murray, England. classic works on British trees. The

Späth nursery The Späth (often spelt ''Spaeth'') family created one of the world's most notable plant nurseries of the 19th and early 20th centuries. The nursery had been founded in 1720 by Christoph Späth but removed to the erstwhile district of Baumschulen ...

of Berlin marketed an ''U. montana nigra'' in the late 19th century. Späth, like many of his contemporaries, used ''U. montana'' both for wych elm cultivars and for those of ''U. × hollandica''. Though 'Nigra' is sometimes listed as a synonym of 'Cinerea' (see 'Synonymy'), the leaf-descriptions of the two cultivars appear to distinguish them, the latter having leaves recalling those of

Exeter Elm ''Ulmus'' 'Exoniensis', the Exeter elm, was discovered near Exeter, England, in 1826, and propagated by the Ford & Please nursery in that city.Bean, W. J. (1981). ''Trees and shrubs hardy in Great Britain'', 7th edition. Murray, LondonRichens, ...

.'Cineria' leaves, herbariaunited.org, specimen 295176
/ref> Loddiges' 1830 catalogue lists the two separately.

Description

Robertson stated that 'The Black Irish Elm' took its name from its dark chestnut-coloured young shoots, and that it made a slender, erect tree when old. Loudon described the tree as of moderate size, with a spreading habit like wych elm, but comprising rather irregular, contorted branches bearing much smaller, more rugose leaves, of a much deeper green than the species.Hanham, F. (1857)
''A Manual for the Park''
(Royal Victoria Park, Bath). Longman, London. Späth's ''U. montana nigra'', by contrast, was "large-leaved, with dark-green foliage".

Cultivation

Loudon reported that the tree ripened seed in Ireland. Robertson sent specimens to the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, and to Edinburgh. It was also grown in the 19th century in the Horticultural Society's Garden at Chiswick and the Royal Victoria Park, Bath, at the western end of the Royal Avenue. ''U. montana nigra'' was introduced to the

Dominion Arboretum The Dominion Arboretum (french: Arboretum du Dominion) is an arboretum part of the Central Experimental Farm of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Originally begun in 1889, the Arboretum covers about of rolling land ...

Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...

, Canada, probably from Späth, in 1899. The tree is not known to have been introduced to Australasia, nor is it known to be in commerce.

Synonymy

*''Ulmus cinerea'': Kirchner

in Petzold

& Kirchner
''Arboretum Muscaviense'' 565, 1864
name in synonymy. *?''Ulmus glabra'' 'Cinerea': RBG ''Electronic Plant Information Centre'' 2007.

Accessions

;Europe *? Wakehurst Place, UK. Acc. no. 1973.21051, as ''U. glabra'' 'Cinerea'

References

{{Elm species, varieties, hybrids, hybrid cultivars and species cultivars , state=collapsed Wych elm cultivar Ulmus articles missing images Ulmus