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Is this ash dieback?

lizzykincaidelizzykincaide Posts: 99
in Problem solving
This tree backs onto my garden. It's in the school grounds. The tree surgeon thinks it's Dutch elm disease but I don't think it's an elm. All around the edge of the school field the plants/ grass is dying including the Ivy. I'm worried whatever has caused this may filter into my garden.
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  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    edited August 2020
    As phillipa says the photo isn't clear but some of the leaves on the left look like Rowan 
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    There are a few leaves on top third left that look like elm. We have an elm that was cut down 40 years ago due to dutch elm disease. It throws up suckers from the roots that look like that. When they get above 10 ft or so , they die back again because the insect that carries dutch elm disease flies fairly high. If you keep it clipped below 8ft it should be alright.
  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,355
    It certainly doesn't look like the ash trees surrounding my garden.

    Where are you Lizzy? Here in sunny Suffolk we have many hedgerow trees and shrubs - both mature and immature - turning up their toes after a third summer of very high temperatures and extremely low rainfall.

    Unfortunately the victims include a 20m section of my 25 year old beech hedge which can no longer cope with the rain shadow effect and water consumption of the giant ash tree over shadowing the front garden.😢


    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • lizzykincaidelizzykincaide Posts: 99
    The leaves in the centre and near the bottom are a few of the healthy leaves left. Hope this helps to identify the tree.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Those look like elm leaves. Definitely not ash. 
    @fidgetbones us absolutely correct ... as soon as the trunks of elm saplings are a big enough diameter they are attacked by the beetles that carry Dutch Elm Disease and the saplings die. 😢 I remember when elms were an important part of the English landscape but I’ve not seen a mature elm tree for years. 


    Dutch Elm disease will not affect any of your other garden plants. 

    However as @Topbird had said, many trees and shrubs are suffering from the extreme and erratic weather conditions this year. 


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    I know one thing.. when I try to put the cut bits through the shredder, they are so hard they blunt the blades. Maybe thats why they used to use them for chair legs.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I have an elm chopping board made for me by my son 35+ years ago ... it’s used a lot every day and still really solid. It’s one of the things I’d grab if the house was on fire. 😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • lizzykincaidelizzykincaide Posts: 99
    edited August 2020
    Lovely, thanks for all your comments. Erratic weather is putting it mildly 😄
    I'm in Croydon, @Topbird.
    Thanks again.
  • Novice23Novice23 Posts: 200
    Just found this thread which is really helpful.  When our bungalows were built in the 50s, there were elms all along the rear fence which had backed onto a railway.  These were all felled because of Dutch Elm but occasionally we get what appears to be elm trees but they all die once they get to a reasonable height.  Now I understand why, and know what to do.   Thanks so much    
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Glad you found what you needed  @Novice23 😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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