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Ulmus × hollandica 'Daveyi' facts for kids

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Ulmus × hollandica 'Daveyi'
Davey Elm Trenance 3.jpg
Wind-pruned Davey Elm, Trenance Farm, Cornwall, UK
Hybrid parentage U. glabra × U. minor
Cultivar 'Daveyi'
Origin England

The Davey Elm is a special kind of hybrid elm tree. It's known scientifically as Ulmus × hollandica 'Daveyi'. This tree is mostly found in the valleys of Cornwall, England. Because of how it looks and where it grows, many people think it's a mix of the Wych Elm and the Cornish Elm.

What Does the Davey Elm Look Like?

The Davey Elm has branches that spread out wide and aren't perfectly even. Some of its smaller branches hang downwards. Its leaves are quite small, usually less than 6 centimeters long and 5 centimeters wide. The top surface of the leaves is smooth.

If you see a Davey Elm near the windy coast, it might look a bit windswept. But if it's further inland, its shape is more like the Wych Elm, with a thicker top or "crown" of leaves.

Diseases That Affect the Davey Elm

Sadly, the Davey Elm can get a serious illness called Dutch elm disease. This disease is caused by a fungus and can make elm trees very sick.

Where Does the Davey Elm Grow?

You can find several grown-up Davey Elm trees in southwest England. Some notable places include areas around Gulval, Newquay, the Roseland, and St Kew in Cornwall. This tree hasn't been introduced to places like North America or Australia. You also can't easily buy it in stores in the UK.

Famous Davey Elm Trees

The biggest known Davey Elm in the UK is recorded by TROBI. It grows at Holne Park House, near Dartmoor. When it was found in 2017, it was 30 meters tall! That's about as tall as a 10-story building. Its trunk was also very thick, measuring 172 centimeters around.

Another large tree is in a woodland behind Lancaster Avenue at Goodrington. In 2004, it was 22 meters tall and 100 centimeters around its trunk.

How the Davey Elm Got Its Name

The Davey Elm was named by a person called Augustine Henry. He named it after Frederick Hamilton Davey (1868-1915). Frederick Davey was a botanist from Cornwall who wrote an important book called Flora of Cornwall. This book was first published in 1909.

Where Can You See Davey Elm Trees?

You can find Davey Elm trees in these locations:

  • Brighton & Hove City Council, UK: There are two trees at the City Cemetery in Brighton, planted in 1988.
  • Grange Farm Arboretum, Sutton St James, Spalding, Lincolnshire, UK.
  • Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, Romsey, UK: One tree is in the Plant Centre Field.
  • Wijdemeren City Council, Netherlands: One tree was planted in Nederhorst den Berg in 2015.
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