Ulmus rubra

Ulmus rubra

The Slippery elm or Red Elm (Ulmus rubra Muhl.) is an arboreal species belonging to the Ulmaceae family.

Systematics –
From a systematic point of view it belongs to:
Eukaryota Domain,
Kingdom Plantae,
Magnoliophyta Division,
Magnoliopsida class,
Urticales Order,
Ulmaceae family,
Genus Ulmus,
U. rubra species.
The terms are synonymous:
– Ulmus americana var. rubra (Muhl.) Aiton;
– Ulmus crispa Willd.;
– Ulmus dimidiata Raf.;
– Ulmus elliptica Anon.;
– Ulmus fulva Michx.;
– Ulmus heyderi Späth
– Ulmus pendula Willd.;
– Ulmus pinguis Raf.;
– Ulmus pubescens Walter;
– Ulmus rubra F.Michx.;
– Ulmus rubra f. laevis F.Seym.;
– Ulmus tridens Dippel;
– Ulmus triserrata Dippel.

Etymology –
The term Ulmus is connected with the Sanskrit root to grow.
The specific rubra epithet comes from rúbeo reddish, to be red: due to the presence of characteristic reddish elements.

Geographic Distribution and Habitat –
Ulmus rubra is a tree native to eastern North America, in an area ranging from south-east North Dakota, east to Maine and southern Quebec, from south to northern Florida and from west to eastern Texas.
Its habitat is that of humid plateaus, even if it is found in dry soils with intermediate humidity, on lower slopes, alluvial plains, river banks, river banks and woodlands; at altitudes up to 600 meters, occasionally up to 900 meters.

Description –
Ulmus rubra is a medium-sized deciduous tree with a wide crown that grows up to 12-19 meters and, occasionally, over 30 m in height.
The trunk can reach a diameter of 60 – 90 cm, exceptionally up to 120 cm and its heartwood is reddish-brown in color.
The leaves are oblong to obovate and 10–20 centimeters long, rough above but velvety below, with coarse, double serrated margins, sharp apexes and oblique bases; the petioles are 6-12 millimeters long. The leaves are often tinged with red upon emergence, turning dark green in summer and dull yellow in autumn.
The flowers are hermaphrodite, with superior ovary and gathered in 10-20 short-stemmed inflorescences. They are apetal and wind pollinated are produced before the leaves in early spring.
The fruit, reddish-brown in color, is an oval winged samara, from orbicular to obovate, slightly indented in the upper part, 12-18 mm long; the only central seed covered with red-brown hairs, naked elsewhere.

Cultivation –
The Slippery elm is a tree rarely cultivated as an ornamental in its native country. From time to time it appeared in US nursery catalogs of the early 20th century.
It was later introduced to Europe in 1830 and to Australasia.
For its cultivation it should be borne in mind that in its natural habitat it prefers rich and deep soils, often calcareous, on the banks of streams and low rocky slopes.
It also grows in a variety of climates; from the continental climate of central North America with its cold winters and hot summers, to the subtropical regions of Florida, where winters are mild. Average annual rainfall generally increases from northwest to southeast throughout its range, from 530 to 2,110 mm. The average annual temperature varies from 4 ° to 21 ° C, the average winter temperature from -15 ° to 12 ° C and the average summer temperature from 16 ° to 27 ° C, with the duration of the frost-free period ranging from 90 to 280 days.
Plants can tolerate periodic flooding of the soil, up to 3 months a year, even if growth and vitality are reduced.
Trees are often harvested in nature for their edible inner bark, which can also be bought in drugstores and health food stores.
The various species of this genus hybridize freely with each other and the pollen is easily conserved so that species with different flowering times can also be hybridized.
Unfortunately, this species, like other elms, was heavily decimated by a disease called graphiosis, caused by a fungus of Asian origin, which arrived in Europe around 1920 and in North America in 1928.
As far as propagation is concerned, this occurs by seed; this if sown in a cold environment as soon as it matures, it usually germinates within a few days. The stored seeds do not germinate as well and should be sown in early spring.
The seed can also be harvested “green” (when fully developed but before it dries on the tree) and sown immediately in an unheated seedbed. It should germinate very quickly and will produce a larger plant by the end of the growing season.

Customs and Traditions –
Ulmus rubra was first determined in 1753 as Ulmus americana and, subsequently, identified as a separate species, U. rubra, in 1793 by the Pennsylvania botanist Gotthilf Muhlenberg. The slightly later name U. fulva, published by the French botanist André Michaux in 1803, is still widely used in information relating to dietary supplements and alternative medicine.
In the central United States, the U. rubra hybridizes in nature with the Siberian elm (U. pumila), which was introduced in the early 20th century and has since spread widely, raising concerns about the preservation of the genetic heritage and integrity of the previous species.
Ulmus rubra is a plant that has found various uses over time and has a long history of medicinal use and is still commonly used in modern medicine and is an ingredient in various drugs. The tree has also traditionally been used as a food and source of materials. The wood is sometimes exploited commercially, being sold with Ulmus americana.
In edible use, raw or cooked leaves are used. According to some reports, the very young leaves of all Ulmus species can be eaten, and generally have a mild flavor.
The inner bark can be eaten raw or cooked. It can be dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickener in soups or added to cereal flours for making bread, etc.
It can also be chewed as a thirst quencher.
The inner bark has been cooked with some fat to prevent them from becoming rancid.
A tea-like drink can be made from the inner bark.
Unripe fruits are eaten raw or cooked.
In the medical field, bark is a widely used herbal remedy and is considered one of the most valuable remedies in herbal practice. In particular, it is a delicate and effective remedy for irritations of the mucous membranes of the chest, urinary tubules, stomach and intestines.
The inner bark contains large amounts of a sticky slime that can be dried into a powder or made into a liquid.
The plant is also part of a North American formula called essiac which is a popular cancer treatment. Its effectiveness has never been reliably proven or disproved as no controlled studies have been conducted. The other herbs included in the formula are Arctium lappa, Rumex acetosella and Rheum palmatum.
The inner cortex is emollient, diuretic, expectorant, nourishing; it has a soothing and healing effect on all parts of the body with which it comes into contact and is used in the treatment of sore throat, indigestion, irritation of the digestive system, stomach ulcers, etc.
The inner bark is applied externally on fresh wounds, burns and scalds;
The entire cortex, including the outer cortex, was used as a mechanical irritant to abort; its use has become so widespread that it is now banned in several countries.
Among other uses, a fiber obtained from the inner bark is used to make a twine. The boiled bark was used to make mats, nets etc. The inner bark was used to make baskets and as a roofing material.
The seasoned bark was used as firewood.
The wood is very fine-grained, strong, heavy, hard, tough, durable, easy to split, and is used for fence posts, window sills, farm tools, etc.
The wood is considered inferior to that of the American elm (Ulmus americana) even though both are mixed and sold together as soft elm. This elm is used in the manufacture of boxes, baskets, crates and barrels.
From a biochemical point of view it contains mucilage.

Preparation Method –
Ulmus rubra is a plant that has long been used in the food and medicinal fields as well as for its timber.
The inner bark is harvested in the spring from the main trunk and larger branches, then dried and pulverized for use as needed. Ten-year-old bark is said to be the best for its emollient, expectorant, diuretic, astringent, anti-inflammatory, nourishing properties.
You can prepare a decoction: in this case you need to mix 1 part of the powder with 8 parts of water (initially mix the powder with a small amount of cold water to ensure mixing); bring to a boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes; 1/2 cup TID.
As a poultice: mix the powder with boiling water just enough to make a paste.
Sometimes the leaves are dried and ground into a powder, then made into a tea.
As food, the mucilaginous inner bark of the tree is edible raw or boiled and was eaten by Native Americans. The bark can also be used to make tea.

Guido Bissanti

Sources
– Acta Plantarum – Flora of the Italian Regions.
– Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
– GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
– Useful Tropical Plants Database.
– Conti F., Abbate G., Alessandrini A., Blasi C. (ed.), 2005. An annotated checklist of the Italian vascular flora, Palombi Editore.
– Pignatti S., 1982. Flora of Italy, Edagricole, Bologna.
– Treben M., 2000. Health from the Lord’s Pharmacy, Advice and experiences with medicinal herbs, Ennsthaler Editore.
Photo source:
– https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/131157807/original.jpg
– https://bisque.cyverse.org/image_service/image/00-CyoA3aJfZT9tdDMWeZYrSB/resize:4000/format:jpeg

Warning: Pharmaceutical applications and alimurgical uses are indicated for informational purposes only, they do not represent in any way a medical prescription; therefore no responsibility is taken for their use for curative, aesthetic or food purposes.