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Received Eucommia seeds sent by Farges in the 1890s, achieving the first successful introduction of the species in Europe.

Story

Maurice de Vilmorin (1849–1918) came from France's renowned Vilmorin-Andrieux seed dynasty and established a private arboretum at Les Barres, the predecessor of today's French National Arboretum. The International Dendrology Society's Trees and Shrubs Online explicitly records that Eucommia reached Vilmorin as seed sent by Farges in the mid-1890s—the starting point of the species' return to Europe.

Russian botanical literature likewise records that Vilmorin's arboretum outside Paris began propagating Eucommia (mainly by cuttings) from 1896, and that the first living Eucommia plants passed from there to Britain in 1897. His nursery offered Eucommia for sale in 1902–03, bringing this 'Chinese rubber tree' onto the European horticultural market, where its hardiness was soon confirmed.

Milestones

• c. 1896 Eucommia seed germinated and was planted out at Les Barres
• 1897 Donated Eucommia plants to Kew
• 1902–1903 The Vilmorin nursery listed Eucommia in its trade catalogue for the first time
• His propagated material later supplied the Vincennes Colonial Garden in Paris and researchers such as J. Dybowski for economic studies of Eucommia rubber

Key Contributions

• In the mid-1890s received Eucommia seeds sent back by Paul Farges, a missionary in China, and successfully raised them at the Les Barres Arboretum near Paris (now the French National Arboretum)
• From 1896 his arboretum began propagating Eucommia, mainly by cuttings—the beginning of Eucommia cultivation in Europe
• In 1897 presented Eucommia plants to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, initiating cultivation of the species in Britain
• The Vilmorin nursery first offered Eucommia plants for sale in 1902–1903, promoting the species' spread through European gardens