Crews in Summerland are removing invasive trees from Memorial Park along Victoria Road South.
The Siberian elm trees are listed by the Okanagan and Similkameen Invasive Species Society as highly invasive plants. They and are found in the Southern Interior of British Columbia, including the Okanagan Valley.
These trees, also known as Chinese elm, dwarf elm and littleleaf elm trees, are bushy deciduous trees that grow nine to 18 metres tall. They have an open crown and slender, spreading branches.
The tree is native to northern China, eastern Siberia, Manchuria and Korea, and it can tolerate a wide range of conditions including drought, cold winters, poor soil, high winds and low moisture.
According to Okanagan Invasive Species Online, the Siberian elm was introduced to North America in the mid-1800s for its hardiness, fast growth and ability to thrive in varying moisture conditions.
While the plant is sold commercially, it is invasive if it escapes cultivation.
While the Siberian elm reproduces primarily by seed, its roots can resprout when the top growth is damaged.
The tree is also the preferred host of the elm seed bug, an invasive insect.
When the trees have been removed, new native plantings will be placed on the slope this spring.
