The Johnny Elmseed Nursery Project Introducing the American Liberty Elm Q: How does the Johnny Elmseed Program work? A: The Johnny Elmseed Nursery at Peace Valley Nature Center (PVNC) raises small American Liberty elms. The Liberty elms are ready for planting in public places when they are six feet tall. Ideal places for planting include schools, parks and along public streets. The trees can be purchased for $150 each by an organization that is planting them at their facility OR an individual or service group (like PTO's) can donate the trees to be planted in a public place. The Friends of PVNC, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational institution, then uses the proceeds of the sales and any funds donated directly to the Nursery to purchase new supplies of young Liberty Elms. Excess proceeds of the sales fund educational programs at the Nature Center. Q: Why is the Johnny Elmseed Nursery ideal for the Friends of PVNC? A: The PVNC readily provides the facilities, expertise and volunteers needed to make this program a successful, long term fund raiser. While other local nature centers have native plant-sales, the PVNC Johnny Elmseed Nursery is the only source of the Liberty Elm in southeast Pennsylvania. Peace Valley Flash-Back From our Annual Meeting held on March 20, 2010. Click [HERE] to see more photos from this event.

How the American Liberty Elm was developed The disease-resistant American Liberty Elm is a product of over fifty years of selection and research. A nation-wide screening that began in the 1930's yielded American Elms with superior resistance to the Dutch Elm Disease (DED) fungus. These became the parent trees researchers used in controlled pollinations in 1968, leading to the development of the American Liberty Elm which the Elm Research Institute (ERI) released for public planting in 1983. The parent trees, from which the American Liberty elm is a cross-pollinated clone, were first noted for their disease-resistant qualities in the 1940's and 1950's. They survived for many years in situations of severe disease even after repeated inoculations of the fungus into the vascular system of the trees. The process was repeated for five successive years on the American Liberty Elm clones. Although showing stress, they remained free of symptoms and hence are declared DED resistant. The American Elm was once extensively planted as a street and large lawn tree. It reaches a height of 60-80' with a spread of 30-40'. Leaves are 3-6" long and 1-3" wide and are a lustrous dark green in summer and yellow in fall. The tree will also bear perfect, greenish red flowers in March. For more information on the American Liberty Elm, contact the Elm Research Institute, a non-profit organization, at: 1-800-FOR-ELMS www.libertyelm.com Some common questions about the American Liberty Elm Q: What is the best location for an American Liberty Elm? A: Apart from their natural beauty, elms are unequaled as a shade tree. Elms lining a street or driveway cast a cooling shadow on hot summer pavement. The elm's strongest roots tend to go downward instead of laterally. Liberty elms are tolerant of salt conditions and soil compaction, making them a perfect tree for urban street planting. The distance from the street or sidewalk should be 2 ft., 15 ft. from a building and 30 ft. from another tree. The American Liberty Elms should be planted where the public can enjoy the elms, as in former years. Q: Why not plant an Asian or European hybrid elm? A: The American Liberty Elm, unlike hybrids, has a vase shape. It develops a vigorous upright main trunk in youth, with older branches becoming more horizontal and weeping in shape at maturity. Also, its hardiness is greater than the hybrids in that it thrives in hardiness zones 2-9, from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. There is no substitute for an American Elm. Q: Can you buy the American Liberty Elm from a commercial nursery? A: No, the Liberty Elm is not available from commercial nurseries. You can acquire an American Liberty Elm through local volunteer groups involved in running a Johnny Elmseed Regional Nursery, such as the Friends of Peace Valley Nature Center (PVNC). Q: What makes the American Liberty Elm different from other elms on the market? A: Its resistance has been proven. In 13 years the ERI has planted more than 250,000 American Liberty Elms in over 650 communities and have lost only 34 to Dutch Elm disease, a loss rate of less than 0.012%. Q: If an American Liberty Elm tree dies, will the ERI replace it? A: The lifetime warranty that comes with the tree covers Dutch Elm Disease only and provides for free replacement with a 6 foot tree. Trees suspected of DED death must have the diagnosis confirmed in the ERI lab and the warranty card must be on file with ERI. Q: What is the best time to plant? A: Early spring or early fall is the best time for the young elm to become established, when temperatures are lower and rainfall is more abundant. A fall-planted tree will be nearly or completely dormant, but its root system will continue growing until the ground freezes. It will be ready to burst into growth when Spring arrives in your area. Q: What is the difference between disease resistant and immune? A: Disease resistance is defined as the capacity to resist the growth of Dutch Elm Disease fungus in the vessel of the tree. An American Liberty Elm may show some symptoms of the disease, but will,in most instances, wall it off, preventing spread of the fungus. On the other hand, "immune" implies that the tree is exempt from contracting DED. The American Liberty Elm is not "immune." Q: How large will an American Liberty Elm be in a few years? A: Since established elms grow 2 to 3 feet per year it is expected that a properly cared for 3 year old, 6 foot tree will reach a height of 20 to 30 feet in 10 years. Mature trees eventually reach a height of 100 feet with a spread of 60 feet. Q: What is the Johnny Elmseed Nursery Program? A: It is a cooperative community service project of a local volunteer group (in this case, the Friends of Peace Valley Nature Center) and the Elm Research Institute (ERI) to re-establish the American Elm using the new disease-resistant American Liberty Elm developed by the ERI. Help Bring Back the American Elm This program is sponsored by the Friends of Peace Valley Nature Center. A limited supply of these special trees from six to over ten feet tall are available starting at $150. Please call the Nature Center to check on availability and price. A copy of the official registration and financial information of the Friends of Peace Valley Nature Center, Inc. may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll free, within Pennsylvania 1.800.732.0999. Registration does not imply endorsement. Peace Valley Nature Center 170 Chapman Road, Doylestown, PA 18901 (215) 345-7860 The Peace Valley Nature Center is a facility of the Bucks County Department of Parks and Recreation. County Commissioners Michael G. Fitzpatrick, Esq., Chairman Charles H. Martin Sandra A. Miller All donations to Friends of Peace Valley Nature Center are tax deductible.

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