FNPS Plant Database

Ulmus rubra

red elm, slippery elm
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

red elm, slippery elm

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Ulmus rubra

Family:

Ulmaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

Tree

Size:

40–60 ft tall by 30–50 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

Fruit Color:

Phenology:

Deciduous

Noted For:

Fall Color, Interesting Foliage

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Medium shade tree for informal settings. Somewhat coarse in texture.

Considerations:

Susceptible the Dutch elm disease.

Availability:

Native Nurseries

Propagation:

Stem-tip cuttings. Seed.

Light:

Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry

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Usually moist, occasional inundation -to- Not wet but not extremely dry

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Clay, Loam

Soil pH:

Adaptable

Suitable to Grow In:

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.

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Vouchered In:

Distribution
Vouchered
Not vouchered
Selected
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Starting…
Map coded by Melissa Fernandez-de Cespedes (Paynes Prairie Chapter)

Ecology

Wildlife:

Caterpillars, Birds

Larval host for question mark butterfy (Polygonia interrogationis).

Seeds used by songbirds when little else is available. Used for nesting.

Native Habitats:

Rich mesic to dry mesic forests, wooded bluffs, calcareous soils

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

The edible inner bark is dried and then moistened for use as a cough medicine or as a poultice.

General Comments:

This tree is subject to Dutch elm disease which is not know to occur in Florida as of 2018 (IFAS, 2018).
FNPS Plant Print

Citations:

Burns, Russell M., and Barbara H. Honkala [Technical coordinators]. (1990). Silvics of North America: Volume 2. Hardwoods. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service, Agriculture Handbook 654. ( https://www.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/pubs/1548 ). Accessed 2026.


Huegel, Craig N. (2010). Native Plant Landscaping for Florida Wildlife. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.


UF/IFAS Center for Land Use Efficiency. (2018).Florida Elm. ( https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/trees-and-shrubs/trees/florida-elm.html ). Accessed 2026. Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.


Minno, Marc, and Maria Minno. (1999). Florida Butterfly Gardening: A Complete Guide to Attracting, Identifying, and Enjoying Butterflies. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.


Osorio, Rufino. (2001). A Gardener's Guide to Florida's Native Plants. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.


Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. (1999+). Atlas of Florida Plants. ( https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ ). [S. M. Landry and K. N. Campbell (application development), USF Water Institute.] Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL.

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