Slippery Elm

(Ulmus rubra)

Other Names:

Red Elm

Range:

Family:

Ulmaceae - Elm Family

Growth Type:

Deciduous tree with spreading head of branches

Height:

Growing 35-60 feet tall

Leaves:

The broad oblong to obovate leaves are 4–8 in long. They are rough above but velvety below, with coarse double-serrate margins, and oblique asymmetrical bases. They are dark green by summer, and turn a dull yellow in the fall.

Stem/Trunk:

Tall erect trunk with downy twigs, chestnut brown or reddish hairy buds, and slimy red inner bark

Root:

Spreading roots

Flower Season:

Early spring

Flower Appearance:

The wind-pollinated flowers are produced before the leaves in early spring, usually in tight, short-stalked, clusters of 10–20.

Seed/Fruit:

The reddish-brown fruit is an oval winged samara, orbicular to obovate, slightly notched at the top, 12–18 mm (1/2–3/4 in) long, the single, central seed coated with red-brown hairs, naked elsewhere.

Miscellaneous characteristics:

N/A

Habitat:

Moist upland forests

Parts Used:

Inner bark

Culinary Uses:

None Known

Energetics:

Taste: Sweet
Thermal: Cooling
Humidity: Moistening

Traditional Medicinal Uses:

U. rubra is a traditional remedy for the management of skin disorders. It is also a good choice for soothing and toning the mucus membranes of the body. It also works quite well at treating lung/respiratory disorders. Native Americans used it to treat burns, cough, diarrhea, eye ailments, fever, gastrointestinal disturbances, gunshot wounds, kidney ailments, respiratory ailments, skin ailments, throat ailments, tuberculosis, tumor, venereal ailments, women’s ailments. It is also an effective treatment for bowel disorders such as diarrhea, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), and UC (ulcerative colitis).

Indigenous Usage:

Alabama, Appalachian, Catawba, Chippewa, Creek, Dakota, Fox, Iroquois, Menominee, Micmac, Mohegan, Ojibwa, Omaha, Pawnee, Ponca, Potawatomi, Winnebago.

Indications:

Atopic Dermatitis, Boils, Bronchitis, Burns, Catarrh, Constipation, Cough, Diarrhea, Eczema, Gastric Distress, Gastroenteritis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Psoriasis, Sinusitis, Sinus Infections, Tumor, Ulcerative Colitis

Indications Citations

The fact that studies concerning all indications listed above have not yet been completed, does not mean said uses are invalid. The plants I have included have a long history of effective use, and most were part of the U.S. Pharmacopeia prior to the advent of allopathic medicine.

Clinical Trials:

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS with constipation): Hawrelak JA, Myers SP. Effects of two natural medicine formulations on irritable bowel syndrome symptoms: a pilot study. J Altern Complement Med. 2010 Oct;16(10):1065-71. doi: 10.1089/acm.2009.0090. PMID: 20954962.

Medicinal Actions:

Aperient, Blood-Cleanser, Cathartic, Demulcent, Emetic, Emollient, Hemostatic, Laxative, Respiratory, Stimulant