Slippery Elm
3
9
5Will it grow where I live?
Slippery Elm is hardy to zone 3 – that covers all of Central Europe and the British Isles, and every USDA zone from 3 upwards.
Or check it for your location right here:
Profile
- Family
- Ulmaceae
- Habit
- Tree
- Height
- 18 m
- Spread
- 12 m
- Growth
- medium
- Lifespan
- 200 years
- First yield
- after 15 years
- Hardiness
- zone 3–9
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Soil
- Silt, Clay
- Soil moisture
- semi-dry – very wet
- pH
- 5.5 – 8
Flowering & harvest
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowering | ||||||||||||
| Leaf harvest |
Uses
Growing
Grows in sun to partial shade on moist, fertile soils such as riverbanks. A robust, undemanding tree, but susceptible to Dutch elm disease.
Frequently asked questions
Slippery Elm: how big does it get?
Slippery Elm (Ulmus rubra) grows as a Tree and reaches roughly 18 m in height when mature, with a spread of about 12 m. Growth is medium.
Slippery Elm: what site does it need?
Slippery Elm tolerates light shade. Suitable soils are Silt, Clay. Soil moisture should be in the range semi-dry – very wet. The pH may lie between 5.5 and 8.
Slippery Elm: is it hardy?
Slippery Elm is listed as hardy in zone 3–9 and survives normal winters outdoors there.
Slippery Elm: will it grow in Central Europe?
Slippery Elm is hardy to zone 3 – that covers all of Central Europe and the British Isles, and every USDA zone from 3 upwards.
Slippery Elm: when does it flower?
In a temperate northern-hemisphere climate it flowers from March to April.
Slippery Elm: is it poisonous?
No toxicity is recorded for Slippery Elm. With wild plants, never rely on a database alone — only on a confident identification.
Slippery Elm: what is it used for?
Rated on a scale up to 10: Edible 3/10, Medicinal 9/10, Other uses 5/10.
Plan this plant into your own garden
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Community experience
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