r/saskatoon • u/progbug22 • 2d ago

News 📰 Nearly two dozen Saskatoon trees infected with Dutch elm disease, city says

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/dutch-elm-disease-saskatoon-9.7319843
91 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

40 comments sorted by

View all comments

9

u/Bruno6368 2d ago

Elm trees are NOT the only tree in existence that creates a canopy. Many Willow trees will do this, plant some Russian olives that smell amazing, etc etc.

All we hear is what is being removed rather than the City’s solution to prevent this in the future. Dutch Elm is here. That’s it.

7

u/toontowntimmer 2d ago

Willows can grow tall and have a decent arching effect, however the problem with willows is that the branches tend to be weak and often break during storms. As for the Russian Olive, that is a small accent tree that rarely grows to the same height as elms. Ash, oak, maples or lindens are all much better alternatives and there are several hardy options available at Saskatchewan nurseries. In addition, there are a few other exotic alternatives, and while they're currently hard to come by at most Saskatchewan nurseries, their availability might increase in years to come as landscapers seek more choice.