Ulmus parvifolia 'Emer I'

The Chinese Elm cultivar Ulmus parvifolia 'Emer I' or 'Emerald Isle' (trade designation: Athena) was cloned from a tree planted circa 1920 on the University of Georgia campus at Athens.^[1]

Athena is a small tree rarely exceeding 6 m in height, with a slightly broader, dense and rounded crown.^[2] The leaves are a medium, glossy green, turning drab brown in autumn. The exfoliating, mottled bark is considered very attractive.^[3]

The species and its cultivars are highly resistant, but not immune, to Dutch elm disease, and unaffected by the Elm Leaf Beetle Xanthogaleruca luteola.^[4] As with the species overall, damage caused by Japanese Beetle is relatively slight.^[5]

Athena featured in the elm trials [1] conducted by Northern Arizona University at Holbrook, Arizona, but was unsuited to the hot, arid climate and sustained over 50% mortality in its first year. It is currently being evaluated in the National Elm Trial [2] coordinated by Colorado State University. Athena was introduced to Australia in 2002 as part of the Australian Urban Street Planting Programme [3]; it is not known to have been introduced to Europe.

• ? 'Athena Classic' (unchecked name)

• Bartlett Tree Experts, US. Acc. nos. 96-2159, 2000-076,077,079,081,083,084, 2003-941,942, 00-064, L467, L468.
• New York Botanical Garden, US. Acc. no. 3934/95
• University of Idaho arboretum, US. One tree. Acc. no. 1998011
• U S National Arboretum [4]^{[permanent dead link‍]}, Washington, D.C., US. Acc. no. 69142.

North America

(Widely available)

Australasia

• Fleming's Nursery [5], Monbulk, Victoria, Australia.

• http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/factsheets/trees-new/cultivars/ulmus_parvifolia.htm^{[permanent dead link‍]} Ulmus parvifolia cultivar list.
• https://web.archive.org/web/20030413074605/http://fletcher.ces.state.nc.us/programs/nursery/metria/metria11/warren/elm.htm Return of the Elm - the status of elms in the nursery industry in 2000. Warren, K., J. Frank Schmidt and Co.