Wingham

Wingham is a modern elm, with perhaps the best resistance to Dutch Elm Disease currently available.

Like all elms it will eventually become a large stately tree, ideal for parks and big vistas.

Wingham is also a good host for the White-letter Hairstreak butterfly, a native UK species which is entirely dependent on elms for breeding.

Please note that Wingham is very vigorous and we may have to cut the tree back to fit in the delivery carton - this applies even to the very young trees supplied in 3L pots. This pruning does not stop the tree growing and does not affect the long-term shape of the tree, and we can advise on further shaping if necessary.

Wingham elm trees for sale

• 2-year pot-grown tree £72.00
  In a 12L pot
  Very large size (4m-7m after 10 years)
  

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How to grow

Like most elms Wingham is a fast growing tree, capable of adding up to 1m of growth per year in good conditions. It should reach a mature height of 7m or more. Wingham also seems to be tolerant of urban pollution.

Elms are wind pollinated (similar to hazels). Being a new hybrid elm variety, we do not know if Wingham is self-fertile or not, as very few trees have reached maturity and the resulting seeds been subjected to testing. It might be best to assume that, like all elm varieties, it is inherently not self-fertile (and also would not be pollinated by a second Wingham elm tree nearby) because the flowers are receptive at a different time to when the pollen is produced. However there is sometimes some overlap between pollen production and flowering, which would likely cause seeds to be produced.

Wingham does best on good soils. We recommend Lutece, another disease-resistant modern elm variety, if you have poorer soils.

History

Wingham was developed in Italy, It is a hybrid with a mixed ancestry of several elm species, with the aim of confering resistance to Dutch Elm Disease. It was trialled in the UK by the Frank P. Matthews nursery in conjunction with elm enthusiast Dr David Herling. The first UK examples were planted in the village of Wingham in Kent, after which it has been named.

These trees are propagated from cuttings rather than seeds, to ensure they grow true.

Similar varieties

• Ulmus
  LUTECE Nanguen
  Lutece is also resistant to Dutch elm disease, and is a better choice for poorer soils.