Better Than Flowers ...The American Liberty Elm Gift Tree
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Letters We often receive letters from members who are growing American Liberty elms. Here are a few we would like to share with all of you. Dear ERI,... |
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“ We have received and purchased a number of Liberty Elm trees from you, placed them in our golf course nursery to mature for eventual transplanting. We are happy to report that after the first planting reached 10 years, we transplanted 8 of them on our property. So it is with the happy thought that we wish to add to and replenish our nursery with more of your species.
The Louisville Country Club chose you over consulting and contacting the National Arboretum in Washington, DC or Glenn Dale, Maryland or Delaware, Ohio or even Princeton, NJ. ‘Liberty’ is, was and is for us as opposed to ‘Valley Forge’, ‘New Harmony’, ‘Washington”, Princeton’ or other! Our donations over the past year are just that- for continuing research. Receiving a number of small trees from you has simply been a plus, and gave us the opportunity of creating our own ‘Liberty’ nursery. As you now know, we have just this past year (December 2001) transplanted those small trees which had matured for 10 years (making them approximately 12+ years old) to our club property. We have 3 more left in the nursery which will be transplanted this November- December.“ (The Louisville Country Club has been the recipient of over 125 trees since 1991)
William R. Cory, Tree Preservation Comm, Louisville Country Club, KY
“I just want to take a moment to tell you of the success that Townscape of Lynnfield has had with your Liberty Elms. During the twelve years of our existence we have been able to place about 550 street trees around town. Of these 45 have been Liberty elms. All except eleven of these trees we purchased from the nursery of "Trees For Wakefield." Wakefield had purchased them from you in 1989 or 1990 and brought them along to 1 to 1-1/2" caliper. Practically without exception these trees have exhibited exceptional and very strong growth. Not only have the trunks thickened dramatically but the limbs have responded equally well both up and out. This is most impressive.
Attached please find a photo of a Liberty Elm in the process of being planted in April 1994 and another of the same tree today. The comparison is quite striking. This elm is about 30 feet high and is 6+ inches in caliper. Two years ago the lower limbs were pruned and it is time to get after them again. As a matter of interest there is another Elm that has shown even more eagerness to reach its limits which is planted in a constantly moist area.
About four years ago a Liberty Elm was knocked down by a car with the trunk being 75% severed. We staked it back up and bound the cut. Today the tree thrives and the point of injury cannot be found. Truly remarkable stock. I thought that this information would be of interest to ERI.
“Donald Harriss, Townscape Board Member, Lynnfield, MA
“ I am your most enthusiastic customer with 600 Liberty Elms that all grew and have been planted up and down the East coast. The highway departments have been buying them. It’s been wonderful. We had 100% success. The project netted $20,000. We want to get more trees.”
Mary Gormley, Asst. Principal, Mary A. Cunningham School, Milton, MA
“The American Liberty Elms fit right into our plans. Unfortunately, though I’ve only got 8 left! (Treemendous Maryland established Johnny Elmseed nurseries of over 2600 American Liberty Elms since 1989.) They’re gorgeous, of course, and all but 4 are sold. Following 9/11 we had so many calls to inquire about them, but unfortunately we didn’t have them available. We’d like to get our supply up again so that we can jump-start the promotion and planting here in the state...We have a nursery at Anne Arundel College that we’ve been using for several years which is the perfect location to grow the trees. We’re excited, eager and ready to go!”
Terry Galloway, Treemendous Maryland Program, Dept. of Natural Resources, Forest Service, Annapolis, MD
“They’re doing great, even though the 75 young Liberty Elms are putting down roots in a harsh environment in the northeast area of the state, where summer temperatures can be over 100 degrees, winter temperatures can plunge below zero, and there’s a lot of snow.”
(South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks planted over 2,000 American Liberty Elms in 10 state park districts beginning in 1996.)
Mike Ullrich, Conservation Tech, Richmond Lake Recreation Area and Mina State Park, South Dakota
“The Liberty Elms are growing strong and tall in 39 locations in town. They’re doing very well, getting big now. They average 30 feet tall and six inches in diameter, and the canopies are full. They were spared in the ice storm of 1998... We took care of them the first six or seven years. They’re pretty much maintenance free now.”
Merle Parise, Damariscotta-Newcastle Rotary member and licensed forester, Damariscotta, Maine
“Our Johnny Elmseed program has been very successful...Elm trees are a very important part of our agenda...Liberty Elms are beautiful; very handsome trees. We are very pleased.”.
Charlie Morgan, Town of Norwell Beautification Comm. Norwell, MA
"American Liberty Elms are excellent"
Don Kurkowski, City of Detroit Parks , MI
“Thought I’d let you know that here is Northern Virginia, my Liberty Elm is thriving. I purchased a 6 foot tree last year, and this growing season the tree has gained 3 feet in height!...In sum, I am very pleased with the Liberty Elm and wish you continued success.”
Jay Hauck, Arlington, VA
"Our American Liberty Elms are doing great. They are pruned periodically and getting a nice form. We are really pleased. One is 30-40 ft. tall.”
Ted Panyatoff, The Elms Bed & Breakfast, Camden, ME
“In April 1989, I received 100 little Liberty Elm switches (for the Town of Canadian, Texas) one to two feet tall. I planted them...gave them lots of water. None of them died, Now, twelve years later, many of them are about 30 ft. tall. They seem strong and tough.”
Malouf Arbaham, Jr. M.D., Canadian, Texas