A rare species of weeping elm which was thought to be completely extinct has been discovered in the Queen’s official residence in Scotland.
The Wentworth Elm, which majestically drapes to the ground and produces bright red flowers in early Spring, was believed to have been wiped out during the Dutch Elm Disease epidemic in the 80s and 90s.
But when experts from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) asked to conduct a survey of trees in the grounds of Holyroodhouse they were astonished to come across two of survivors from the lost species.
Dr Max Coleman, who identified the trees said: “Such a discovery when the trees in question are just shy of 100ft and in plain sight does sound rather odd.
“It is very likely the only reason these rare elms have survived is because Edinburgh City Council has been surveying and removing diseased elms since the 1980s.
“Without that work many more of the thousands of elms in Edinburgh would have been lost.
“The success of this programme may be partly demonstrated in the way two rare trees have been preserved.”
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Tree experts are now looking into ways of propagating the rare specimens, which carry the botanical name Ulmus Wentworthii Pendula.
Scientists say the Wentworth elm was most likely introduced to cultivation in the late 19th century but it is not yet clear where the two new specimens came from. The origins of its name are also unclear. Some botanists believe it was named after the country house Wentworth Woodhouse in South Yorkshire, while others suggest it takes its name from Thomas Wentworth, the first Earl of Strafford and Prussian Ambassador who was born in 1593.
Curators and archivists at the royal household and RBGE are now working to find out more about their origins.
One theory is that the trees arrived at Holyrood from RBGE and survived while their Botanic Garden sibling died.
Archives already show that three Wentworth elms arrived at the Botanic Garden from Germany in 1902, after which all subsequent records refer to a single tree at the garden.
The single Wentworth elm died in 1996 when it succumbed to Dutch elm disease.
“It is very tempting to speculate that the Wentworth elms at the palace are the two missing trees from RBGE,” added Dr Coleman.
“There is anecdotal evidence that the young trees could have come in to RBGE, then been grown-on before planting-out in their final positions.
“Certainly, there was a close relationship between the palace and the garden in the early 20th century and the head gardener at Holyrood, William Smith, had trained here.
“Although we have no record here of elms going out, we know that a large number of ivy plants went from here to Holyrood to plant round the abbey ruins.”
Alan Keir, Holyrood Park and gardens manager for Historic Environment Scotland (HES), which maintains the palace gardens, said: “When RBGE got in touch to ask if we could facilitate a walk round the gardens to find cultivars for propagation, we were happy to help – but certainly didn’t expect them to find these rare specimens hidden in plain sight.
“The HES gardens team have undertaken careful maintenance of these specimens over the past several years, including crown reduction and limb bracing works, and we’re proud to help look after the only remaining examples of these trees in Britain.”