[2][3] Though Späth's catalogues stated that it was "also distributed under the name planera aquatica" (an American species little known in Europe), it remained in his lists under 'elm' and was accessioned by the Dominion Arboretum, Ottawa, and by the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh as an elm cultivar.
The tree was said to have "small pendulous leaves",[3] a description which suggests an Ulmus × hollandica rather than a wych elm cultivar (Späth used U. montana for both).
Beissner noted U. montana viminalis at the Tübingen botanical gardens, falsely named Planera aquatica, which had 'picturesque long overhanging young branches'.
[11] Three old osier-leaved elms which stand in Buckingham Terrace Gardens, on Leith Links (Vanburgh Place), and in Middle Meadows Walk, Edinburgh (2017), may be Späth's 'Viminalis'.
They are semi-pendulous suckering trees, girth c.3.5 m, with leaves and samarae confirmed by the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh as likely to be U.