In my previous comment I told the story of this tree's development... but I forgot a few of the more important details. On the other hand you may already know the details... because those that apply to the species apply to this cultivar.

Dr. Carl Whitcomb [Know It & Grow It 3] pretty well says it all: "Extremely tough and durable... Will grow virtually anywhere... Tolerates parking lots, poor soil, restricted root systems and soil compaction... Must be considered one of the toughest and adaptable of all trees. Highly resistant to disease and insect attack. Responds vigorously to fertilizer, good soils, and good cultural practices."

I'll add this comment... Golden Rey Lacebark Elm is a beautiful tree that adds a splash of golden color to an otherwise green tree canopy. And in most fall seasons the leaves turn a striking salmon color before dropping to the ground.

It IS an elm... but it is a truly valuable and attractive one... it is well worth planting.

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The Lacebark Elm , or true Chinese Elm, began to be grown and planted in the United States largely out of necessity. Dutch elm disease had laid waste to approximately 75% of the 77 million American Elms that stood along public streets and in lawns in 1930. Because it is highly resistant to Dutch Elm disease and the elm leaf beetle the Lacebark Elm was chosen as the natural successor of American Elm.
Many years later, in the late 1980's, an Oklahoma City nurseryman named Bruce Rey was monitoring the development of a controlled planting of Lacebark Elm seedlings. He noticed one of the seedlings leaves were a distinct light yellow color. Subsequent asexual propagation of root cuttings from this seedling resulted in a small population of new plants… all possessing light yellow foliage.
Additional asexual propagations of these new plants clearly demonstrated that "…distinguishing characteristics came true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations."
On March 3, 1989 a plant patent was applied for using the name Ulmus parvifolia 'Golden Rey'… and on June 5, 1990 Patent Number: Plant 7,240 Rey was issued to Bruce Rey and the Assignee: Preston Warren of Spencer, OK.
"The growth rate of the new variety is believed to be similar to the species which, under normal nursery conditions, is about two to three feet per growing season. Overall growth is upright when young but becoming more rounded with age so that the mature shape is a broad, rounded configuration with ends of the new growth being slightly pendulous. The estimated height at maturity is about 40-60 feet with a width of about one-half to two-thirds of the tree's height. The new variety tends to be more compact, with more branches, and of more upright form than the species at comparable maturity.
The bark on young trees of the new variety, i.e., up to 5-6 years of age, appears to be a uniform brownish grey. At approximately this age, the bark begins to exfoliate and develops splotches of light tan where portions of older bark have fallen away. This behavior is similar to that of the species.
Observed under field growing conditions, the disease resistance of the new variety seems to be equal to that of the species."

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