Sadly, today, the American elm won't make good growth in any soil as the Dutch Elm Disease has killed almost all of them. In the 1930s when they were being planted as the quintessential American city tree, they did not do too well in wet soil. Willows do well in wet soil and are known to line the edges of rivers and creeks in Wisconsin.


6 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

NO


6 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

Yes.


6 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

I am old enough to remember some of these beautiful trees. They grew to a huge size. They were a tough sinewy wood. Around here we used them often for horse stall planking. They still grow here by die young, as Nora says.


6 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

I know people on the Eastern Shore of Maryland who are breeding American Chestnuts for disease resistance by crossing to Chinese chestnuts, then back-crossing the offspring and testing each generation for resistance to chestnut blight. Slow, but well worthwhile; you can buy F3 nuts and seedlings already. I understand similar efforts are underway to rebuild the American Elm, though I don't know where.


6 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum