Trade Names:  American Elm, Red Elm, Grey Elm

Origin: North America

Range:  Canada and USA, particularly central area around the Great Lakes.

Uses:  Sliced veneer for decorative faces. In America, a special wood for boat building and harbor work.

Properties:  The only differentiating feature between White Elm and Slippery Elm_ is the slippery inner bark of the latter. This slime is used for medical purposes. Generally the wood is dark brown with a reddish tone. Otherwise the American Elms are very similar to the European Elms, but since these are no longer available for veneer purposes because of the Dutch Elm disease, American Red Elm is used as an alternative.

Machining: The slow grown grades are easily machined by hand and tools. Fast grown species are difficult to plane and shape.

Seasoning:  Drying is slow and must be carried out carefully and gently due to the tendency to check and warp.