Slippery Elm (Ulmus rubra)

Family: Ulmaceae | Edibility: Edible (2/5)

Ulmus rubra is a deciduous Tree growing to 20 m (65ft) by 15 m (49ft) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from March to May, and the seeds ripen from May to June. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Wind. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Fruit, Leaves, Bark/Inner Bark

Harvest Seasons: Early Summer, Fall, Late Summer, Spring, Winter

Flavor & Culinary Uses

Leaves - raw or cooked. Inner bark - raw or cooked. It can be dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickener in soups or added to cereal flours when making bread etc. It can also be chewed as a thirst quencher. — Leaves - raw or cooked.; Inner bark - raw or cooked.; It can be dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickener in soups or added to cereal flours when making bread etc.; It can also be chewed as a thirst quencher.

Habitat & North American Range

Rich deep soils, often calcareous, on the banks of streams and low rocky hillsides. (Zone 3, Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7)