"Umbrella" Tree at Powell Campus Center

Alfred University, Alfred, NY

Planted circa 1905

Our campus tree had a "twin" that was removed in 1974 due to ill health. It was located just a few yards from the remaining tree. At one time, there was also another one located on the current site of Herrick Memorial Library.

It was in 1640 that the "Earl of Camperdown", in Dundee Scotland, noticed a branch growing on the floor of his elm forest. He grafted it to a scotch elm tree and it took hold producing the first Camperdown Elm. The scotch elm is the only root mass that the Camperdown will grow on. The tree is a mutant and cannot self reproduce. Every Camperdown Elm tree in the world is a part of the original that must be grafted to a scotch elm tree to get started. When the graft starts to grow, the scotch elm branches are cut off leaving only the Camperdown Elm. This magnificent tree depends on humankind to keep it alive as a species.

Also known as the Umbrella Elm or Weeping Elm. The leaves show a high degree of asymmetry at the base and are dark green in color.  The drooping branches have made it attractive as a small-scale landscape tree.

Scientific Name: Ulmus glabra camperdownii

Height   3-5 m (10-15 feet)

Leaves   8-18 cm (3-7 inches)

More information can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camperdown_Elm