Slippery Elm?

[JimBear]

I was out doing some pruning so I can get in around an old building site with the tractor & batwing. For along time I thought these were either Chinese or Siberian Elm but after closer inspection & looking at the leaves I believe they may be Slippery Elm. Your thoughts.

 

[Sodbuster]

Looks like American Elm to me.

 

[johneh]

X2

 

[nrford]

Siberian. American elm doesn't have reddish heartwood. Bark not right for Red elm.

 

[JimBear]

My line of thinking was the heartwood was too dark for American Elm, these trees don’t shed limbs like Chinese Elms. The limbs that have shed bark aren’t rotten/punky like American Elm gets. So it was a bit of wishful thinking on the Slippery Elm. After looking at some pics of Siberian Elm bark it looks very similar. How is it for firewood? There are lots of smaller ones ( 6”-12”) that are going to be taken out this winter or spring.

 

[Dobish]

they burn pretty nice. its a lot of what we burn in our house. Splitting is a pain.

 

[Woody5506]

I have tons of Siberian elm along my property line. Not sure why the original owner decided to plant a thick fence row of them. They are kind of a nuisance and shed these real thin wiry branches every time we get a decent wind. Let it season for a couple years and it makes decent firewood. The bark is kind of a sponge though and will lift off real easy after a year or so.