ACCOLADE™ elm is a deciduous pyramidal elm tree growing 50 – 60 feet tall and 24-40 feet wide. Its claim to fame is its resistance to Dutch elm disease and the elm leaf miner. This elm grows vigorously, displaying dark green glossy foliage, small green flowers in the spring and yellow color in the fall. At Grant Park in Chicago, it has replaced trees that fell victim to Dutch elm disease. It was named 2012 Urban Tree of the Year by the Society of Municipal Arborists.

This tree is a Chicagoland Grows® selection. Chicagoland Grows® is a plant introduction partnership of the Chicago Botanic Garden, the Morton Arboretum and the Ornamental Growers Association of Northern Illinois formed to promote plant cultivars that perform well in northern Illinois. This variety was developed at the Morton Arboretum; the clone originated from seed distributed in 1924 by the Arnold Arboretum in Boston.