Ulmus ‘Rebona’

Ulmus ‘Rebona’ is a hardy elm cultivar developed by Professors Smalley and Guries of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation in the USA. A hybrid between Ulmus japonica and Ulmus pumila, it shares the same disease resistance and robust character as Ulmus ‘New Horizon’, another member of the Resista Elms family.

What makes Ulmus ‘Rebona’ stand out is its more upright, columnar form, making it an ideal choice for urban environments, especially where space is limited—such as narrow streets, car parks, and high-traffic pedestrian zones. Its form remains tidy and contained, requiring minimal pruning or canopy control.

The foliage of Ulmus ‘Rebona’ is slightly darker and smaller than that of its sibling, ‘New Horizon’, giving it a more refined texture and visual appearance. Despite the smaller leaves, it still creates a dense canopy that offers good shade without overwhelming surrounding infrastructure.

Just like other Resista cultivars, Ulmus ‘Rebona’ is completely resistant to Dutch Elm Disease (DED). It thrives in a wide range of soils, tolerates drought, and stands up well to urban pollution, compacted soil, and exposure to road salt. These characteristics make it an excellent replacement for species lost due to DED and Ash Dieback, especially in Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) and new developments.

As part of the Resista Elms range, Ulmus ‘Rebona’ is microchipped for traceability and is exclusively propagated in the UK by Hillier Nurseries under licence.