‘Sapporo Gold’ Elm

The Sapporo Gold Elm (Ulmus ‘Sapporo Autumn Gold’) is a hybrid elm selected for its very high resistance to Dutch elm disease, the disease that devastated large populations of European elms during the 20th century. Vigorous and fast growing, it is an excellent choice for restoring the impressive presence of a large elm in gardens, parks and avenue plantings.

It gradually develops a broad, slightly vase-shaped crown, reaching around 12 to 15 metres in height and 8 to 10 metres in spread. Its leaves are relatively small, oval and serrated, emerging with a slight reddish tint before turning glossy green during summer.

One of its main ornamental features appears in autumn, when the foliage develops attractive yellow to golden-yellow colours, giving rise to the name ‘Sapporo Autumn Gold’.

Very hardy and adaptable, it grows well in full sun or partial shade and tolerates a wide range of soils, provided drainage is adequate. It performs particularly well in fertile, reasonably moist soils, while established trees also show good tolerance of drier conditions. Its resistance to wind and urban environments also makes it suitable for avenue and landscape planting.

‘Sapporo Gold’ originated from a cross between Siberian Elm (Ulmus pumila) and Japanese Elm (Ulmus davidiana var. japonica). It was selected in the United States as part of breeding programmes aimed at developing elms with strong resistance to Dutch elm disease.

Botanical name: Ulmus ‘Sapporo Autumn Gold’
Type: Hybrid elm
Position: Full sun to partial shade
Foliage: Deciduous
Autumn colour: Golden yellow
Growth rate: Fast
Mature height: Approx. 12–15 m
Mature spread: Approx. 8–10 m
Hardiness: Excellent, around USDA zone 5
Dutch elm disease resistance: Very high
Pollinator value: Limited
Uses: Specimen tree, large garden, park, avenue planting