Tree of the Week: Slippery Elm (Ulmus rubra)

Our tree of the week is a slippery elm (Ulmus rubra). In the spring of 1994, this specimen was collected from the Walter B. Jacobs Memorial Nature Park and subsequently planted in the arboretum in October 1995. Over the past 25 years, this slippery elm has grown up fast. This tree bestows its grace on us especially during the summer, when the elm leaves provide shade along the sidewalk. Now, during the winter months, with the leaves gone, we can appreciate the shape of its trunk and limbs. This slippery elm has a short, cylindrical trunk that divides into three upwardly reaching limbs.

This is a westward facing slope down from Hamilton Hall. Our tree of the week is pictured center, beneath the concrete sidewalk and to the left of the gravel path. At approximately 25 years of age, it's still a small tree, especially compared with the pine tree trunks pictured in the background. Our slippery elm has a short, stout, divided trunk and ascending branches. It may be a small tree, but all of its branches are far out of reach.

At a little more than 3 feet off the ground, the trunk divides into three thick branches of equal size.

Slippery elms are known for having a vase-shape that is similar to (but allegedly not as elegant as) the vase-shaped American elms (Ulmus americana).

The slippery elm has rough, fissured, gray bark. A diamond pattern can be seen in some places.

We see lines of little holes in the bark, which is characteristic of yellow-bellied sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) damage. The bird is a varmint.

The cylindrical slippery elm trunk juts out of the ground with no visible roots around the base of the tree, making it very easy to mow around. Note: A squirrel has gnawed a corner of the tree sign.

A photo of this individual's leaves can be found here.


For more information about this species consult the following:
United States Department of Agriculture
Iowa State University
Appalachian Center for Ethnobotanical Studies