The

American Elm ''Ulmus americana'', generally known as the American elm or, less commonly, as the white elm or water elm, is a species of elm native to eastern North America. The trees can live for several hundred years. It is a very hardy species that can ...

cultivar A cultivar is a kind of Horticulture, cultivated plant that people have selected for desired phenotypic trait, traits and which retains those traits when Plant propagation, propagated. Methods used to propagate cultivars include division, root a ...

''Ulmus americana'' 'Minneapolis Park', originally called 'Minneapolis Park Board Selection', was a cold-hardy clone selected before 1930 by

Theodore Wirth Theodore Wirth (1863–1949) was instrumental in designing the Minneapolis system of parks. Swiss-born, he was widely regarded as the dean of the local parks movement in America. The various titles he was given included administrator of parks ...

, Superintendent of the Minneapolis Park Department, to replace the 'Moline' elms killed in the 1920s by Minneapolis winters.Brand Peony Farms; 1930 catalogue (Faribault, Minnesota; p.16)
/ref>

Description

The tree has a relatively high number of stiff, upright branches creating a broad pyramidal shape.

Pests and diseases

Minnesota was at first considered too far north to be at serious risk from Dutch elm disease, and heavy losses were not sustained there until the 1970s. 'Minneapolis Park' was ultimately found to be very susceptible to the disease.

Cultivation

Propagated by grafting, 'Minneapolis Park' was widely planted in

Minneapolis Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...

and

St Paul Paul, also named Saul of Tarsus, commonly known as Paul the Apostle and Saint Paul, was a Christian apostle ( AD) who spread the teachings of Jesus in the first-century world. For his contributions towards the New Testament, he is generally ...

, especially as an avenue tree. By 1928 Minnesota winters had claimed most of the 568 'Moline' elms in Victory Memorial Drive in North Minneapolis, commemorating the war dead of Hennepin County; they were replaced with hardier 'Minneapolis Park'.Photograph of 'Minneapolis Park', Victory Memorial Drive, Minneapolis; mnopedia.org
/ref> Owing to its susceptibility to disease it is unlikely the tree remains in cultivation.

Synonymy

*'Minneapolis Park Board Selection': Brand Peony Farms, 1930 Cat.; Faribault, Minnesota; p.16. *'Minneapolis Park Board': Sherman Nursery, Charles City, Iowa, Wholesale Cat., Spring 1960.

References

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