Slippery
Elm
(Ulmus
rubra Muhl)
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This
large elm grows throughout North Carolina. While it grows best
on moist, rich bottomlands, it also is found on drier, upland
soils. It is uncommon above elevations of 1,800 feet. Slippery
elm is less susceptible to Dutch Elm disease than is American
elm.
Its leaves are broader, more rounded and much rougher on the upper
surface than those of the very similar American elm. Oneyear-old
twigs are ashy gray and rough; the buds are nearly black. These
characteristics also distinguish Slippery elm from American elm.
Slippery elm fruit is similar to that of American elm but is larger
and much less notched at the tip.
Slippery elm is a medium-sized tree, 60 to 70 feet tall and up
to 2 1/2 feet in diameter. This elm takes its common name from
its inner bark which is very slick or slippery. Its twigs may
be chewed to reduce thirst, and its inner bark, when steeped in
water, is a longused remedy for sore throats and fevers. |
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