Siberian Elm???

[JimBear]

I’ll throw this out to the masses for opinions:
My thoughts are Siberian. My uncle said he was told it was Red Elm years ago by his uncle but I disagree. I didn’t have an axe to split one so I took a pic of one that broke in half when I felled it. If you zoom in you can see more of the same type trees behind the pickup in the last photo. Whatever it is, it will make firewood; at least the stuff that’s not punky will & it’s was easily accessible & helped him clean up some dying trees.
Pics 1-3 are from the same tree, it still had all its bark.
Pics 3-6 are from a different tree but it had been standing dead for about a year & had lost most of its bark.

 

[3fordasho]

I would say yes- Siberian. I've cut on a lot that had both red and Siberian, some of them had features of both. The true Siberians had very small leaves and deep furrowed bark compared to the red elms. I found Siberian to be decent firewood if found standing dead with the bark all off - seasoned by nature and also seemed denser than when cut live and allowed to season with the bark on. Of course red elm can be found the same way and is better yet. In my area the Siberians seem more resistant to dutch elm disease, the reds will only get to about 12" diameter then all die off.

 

[JimBear]

Most Red Elms don’t get much larger than 12” dia. around here either, I was fortunate enough to find one about 16” last year. The size of these trees was one of the many reasons I deemed them not to be Reds.

 

[CincyBurner]

Probably leaves would be best distinguishing characteristic. Smaller (up to 2.5" long) for U. pumila versus larger (4" - 6" long) for U. rubra.
In addition to red elm leaves being larger its leaves are scabrous (sandpapery) above, slightly scabrous or hairy beneath, while Siberian elm has a small, smooth leaf.

 

[Woody5506]

Looks like Siberian to me. I have probably about 60 mature trees as a fence row on my lot, which isn't that big but the original owner planted a row of them way too close together and it's kind of just a mess. I thin it out here and there, and have gotten other big ones taken down that were overhanging the house and shed.

It does make decent firewood for being what seems like semi soft wood. I highly suggest letting it season at least 2 summers (or two years..). I burned a few arm fulls this year that only sat one summer and it didn't do too well. That bark is spongey and will trap a lot of moisture.