Ulmus americana

—Penn State Heritage Trees and Groves —

The oldest elms in this grove were planted in the 1890s to replace the original elms and maples that lined this section of North Allen Street before it was converted to a pedestrian mall, now known as Pattee Mall. With their towering canopies and sweeping branches, these elms are considered a campus landmark.

The genus name, Ulmus, is Latin for "elm." The species name americana, was assigned by Linnaeus to distinguish this elm from those familiar to Europeans in the 18th century. Native to North America, the American elm was once one of the most commonly planted urban trees in the eastern part of the country. Fast-growing and hardy with a vaselike crown, it was prized for its use as a street tree. Devastation hit when a shipment of elm logs with Dutch elm disease was imported from Europe sometime prior to 1930. The disease—a fungus carried by a burrowing bark beetle—wiped out millions of elms, devastating both urban and wild populations. Another fatal disease, Elm Yellows, appeared in State College in 2007. While preventive measures have slowed both diseases, they still are a serious threat to the species and the future of these magnificent elms remains uncertain. Maintenance of this grove is supported by gifts from the Classes of 1986 and 1996.

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