Family: Ulmaceae

Other names: red elm, gray elm, soft elm, moose elm, Indian elm

Slippery Elm is widely distributed in eastern North America, where it thrives in moist uplands, although it will also grow in dry, intermediate soils.

Slippery elm is most easily recognized by the broad oval coarsely toothed leaves that have a rough sandpapery surface.  Each leaf has straight veins that run out to the toothed leaf edge.  The slippery elm has leaves that are usually larger and wider compared to the more common American elm.  The leaves are a dark green in the summer, but a few golden or yellow leaves are dispersed throughout the tree in the early fall.