The Wych ElmcultivarUlmus glabra 'Lutescens', commonly known as the Golden Wych Elm, arose as a sort of a wych found in the York area in the early 19th century by W. Pontey of Pontey's nursery, Kirkheaton, Huddersfield, who propagated and distributed it. The original tree he named the Gallows Elm for its proximity to a gallows near York. Loudon in The Gardener's Magazine (1839) identified it as a form of Ulmus montana (:U. glabra Huds.), adding 'Lutescens' by analogy with Corstorphine sycamore, Acer pseudoplatanus 'Lutescens'.[1][2]
For a time the tree was known in nurseries both in Europe and America as U. americana aurea, probably on account of its shape, and for marketing reasons.[2][3][4]
A medium-sized, fast-growing deciduous tree that reaches a height of approximately 15 m with a spread of about 20 m. In its first years, the tree is vase-shaped, but spreads as it matures to form a rounded canopy. The hue of the leaves varies according to light intensity: where exposed to full sunlight the leaves are bright yellow, but in shade no more than a lime green. 'Lutescens' is arguably the best of the golden elm cultivars since it keeps its colour as it ages.
'Lutescens' was once commonly planted in the UK, and remains in cultivation there and in Europe. It was marketed in the late 19th century as U. montana lutescens by the Späth nursery of Berlin[8] and by the Ulrich nursery of Warsaw,[9] whence it was introduced to Eastern Europe, where it may still survive. It was introduced to the Dominion Arboretum, Ottawa, Canada, probably from Späth, in 1897, as U. montana lutescens.[10] Introduced to Australia and New Zealand[11] in the early 1900s (it has been widely planted in south-east Australia),[12] it remains in cultivation in those countries as Golden Elm,[13] often being grafted on to Ulmus parvifolia rootstock.[11] In Australasia 'Lutescens' has sometimes been mistakenly sold by nurseries under the name 'Louis van Houtte', a smaller-leaved golden elm.[14]
Tallinn Botanic Garden, Estonia Tba.ee - Tallinna Botaanikaaed ja muud üllatuslikud vaatamisväärsused. No accession details available.
Westonbirt Arboretum Forestry Commission - The Forestry Commission - The National Arboreta, Tetbury, Glos., UK. No planting date or acc. no. available.
^Loudon, J. C. (John Claudius) (29 March 1826). "The gardener's magazine and register of rural & domestic improvement". Archive.org. London : Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown and Green. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
^"Bobbink & Atkins [catalog]". Archive.org. Rutherford, N.J. : Bobbink & Atkins. 29 March 1909. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
^"Herbarium specimen - WAG.1846660". Botany catalogues. Naturalis Biodiversity Center. Sheet labelled U. glabra Huds. 'Lutescens', Wageningen (1962) [specimen 1]; "Herbarium specimen - WAG.1846659". Botany catalogues. Naturalis Biodiversity Center. Sheet labelled U. glabra Huds. 'Lutescens', Wageningen (1962) [specimen 2]
^"Herbarium specimen - E00824860". Herbarium Catalogue. Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Sheet described as U. montana lutescens, RBGE specimen from Späth nursery (1902; juvenile leaves)
^"Xanthogaleruca luteola - Wikimedia Commons". commons.wikimedia.org. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
^Katalog(PDF). Vol. 108. Berlin, Germany: L. Späth Baumschulenweg. 1902–1903. pp. 132–133.
^Ulrich, C. (1894), Katalog Drzew i Krezewow, C. Ulrich, Rok 1893-94, Warszawa
^Saunders, William; Macoun, William Tyrrell (1899). Catalogue of the trees and shrubs in the arboretum and botanic gardens at the central experimental farm (2 ed.). Ottawa. pp. 74–75.
^ abWilcox, Mike; Inglis, Chris (2003). "Auckland's elms" (PDF). Auckland Botanical Society Journal. 58 (1). Auckland Botanical Society: 38–45.
^School of Historical Studies, Department of History. "Elm Trees - Entry - eMelbourne - The Encyclopedia of Melbourne Online". Emelbourne.net.au. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
^Rowell, Raymond J. (1982). Ornamental Flowering Trees in Australia, AH & AW Reed Pty Ltd ISBN 0-589-50178-X
^Spencer, R., Hawker, J. and Lumley, P. (1991). Elms in Australia. Australia: Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne.
^Johnson, O. (2011). Champion Trees of Britain & Ireland, p. 169. Kew Publishing, Kew, London. ISBN 9781842464526.
^Wych Elm 'Lutescens', Drenthe, Netherlands; monumentaltrees.com
^"Redirect Notice". Google.com. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
^"Williamstown Botanic Gardens". Weekendnotes.com. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
^"Private Site". Mcfuzzlebuttsmanchen.wordpress.com. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
^"Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-01-06. Retrieved 2015-01-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^"Poachers Pantry Wedding Open Night" (JPG). Weekendnotes.com. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
^"Poachers Pantry Wedding Open Night". Weekendnotes.com. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
^"golden elm". Flickr.com. 6 January 2013. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
^"20130331-19-Golden elm tree". Flickr.com. 31 March 2013. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
^Krüssman, Gerd, Manual of Cultivated Broad-Leaved Trees & Shrubs (1984 vol. 3)
^"General catalogue, 1904 : choice hardy trees, shrubs, evergreens, roses, herbaceous plants, fruits, etc". Archive.org. New York : Frederick W. Kelsey. 29 March 1904. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
^Beissner; Schelle; Zabel (1903). Handbuch der Laubholz-Benennung. Berlin: Verlagsbuchhandlung Paul Parey. p. 84.