SLIPPERY ELM. RED ELM 



/ lii< hs i a! in Michx. 



Nic Elm Familj 



i I M \t BAI 



Habit and Habitat: A medium-sited 1 1 « • : high, with a 



.-hurt or tall trunk rJ-'_ > ~> inches in diameter; the trunk divides into 

 large, spreading, often more or leas irregular branches which subdivide to 

 form a broad, rounded or flat-topped open crown. Pre f ers the deep, 

 rich, moist soil of stream banks and river bottoms, but also grows upon 

 rocky slopes ami ridges. 



Leaves and Huds: Leaves alternate, simple, 2-6 inches long, about 



One-half as broad, oblong, or oval, abruptly pointed, coarsely and doubly 



serrate, often lop-sided at the base, thick and firm, dark green and 

 rough above, paler and also rough beneath; petioles short, stout, and 

 hairy. Winter buds prominent, ovoid, obtuse, dark brown, rusty-hairy. 

 % inch long, Swelling prominently in early spring. 



Flowers and Fruits: Flowers small, produced in March, before the 

 leaves, perfect, borne on very short stalks in densely crowded clusters; 

 ealyx bell-shaped, .")-9-lobed, green, hairy; corolla 0; stamens .">-!>, with 

 dark red pollen sacs; stigmas 2, reddish purple. Fruit ripening in May. 

 orbicular, 1 -seeded, with a flat, broad, green-membranous win^r surround- 

 ing the seed. Vfc-9f inch wide, seed brown-hairy, in dense g reen ish 

 i lusters, often mature before the leaves are full grown. 



Hark, T>*igs and Wood- Twigs are bright preen at first and hairy. 

 but become light brown to dark brown or grayish; dark reddish-brown 

 and thick on old branches and the main trunk, fissured into large, ir- 

 regular, longitudinal, loose plates, inner bark more or less gelatinous, 

 hence the name "slippery elm". The wood is heavy, hard, tough, clo 

 grained, durable, splitting easily when green but tough when dry, dark 

 reddish-brown, with thin, lighter brown sapwood, durable in contact 

 with the soil; useful for posts, poles, beams and tire wood. 



Distribution in the State: One of the commonest forest trees of 

 -tern United States which has worked its way about half way across 

 Nebraska, and has been reported from as far west as Frontier county. 

 Much more common and abundant along the Missouri river and the lower 

 courses of its tributaries where it plays an important part in the broad- 

 leaf woodlands. Planted widely beyond this natural range. Map 31. 



Remarks: The slippery elm is one of the most abundant of all of 

 our native forest trees in the natural forests in the eastern portion 

 of the state. Tin- large brown, broadly oval or conical, bluntly point 

 and hairy buds together with the orbicular, peivussion-cap-like fruits 

 and the aromatic mucilaginous inner bark will always serve to identify 

 this particular species. A decoction made from soaking the inner bark 

 in water is said to be beneficial in affections of the throat and lungs. 



A rapidly growing tree with cleanly habits and one of the best for 

 snd lawn planting in this state. Very hardy, only prolonged I 

 ecting it seriously. Attacked by few i ous pests in our 

 Th< tice «>f shaving off the outer bark disfigures the tree, exp 



m< to injury from drought, in fact does the tier no good 



whate- 





