Exotic Wood elm

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ELM

Ulmus spp.
Ulmus spp. of the family Ulmaceae

Various species of the genus Ulmus occur in Europe, western Asia, North America and Japan and depending on what report you read, there are somewhere between 50 and 200 different species. To further complicate the issue, the are OVER 300 "cultivars" (ask a botanist, if you care) that are sometimes incorrectly stated as separate species AND there are numerous sub-species that are also sometimes incorrectly stated as separate species AND there are several Ulmus species that have large numbers (6 and more) of synonyms that are sometimes incorrectly stated as separate species. SO ... it appears to me that no one but a professional botanist who has some particular interest in the elm family is EVER going to attempt to sort out all the elm species names. In short, when associating botanical names with elms, BEWARE.

A very small sample of the more common names are are:

soft elms:
U. americana = American elm, white elm
U. rubra = gray elm, soft elm, slippery elm
U. procera = English elm, red elm

hard elms:
U. alata = rock elm, water elm
U. thomassi = rock elm, white elm

In a vivid demonstration of why it is that belivers in botanical names versus common names are sometimes so vehement in their condemnation of common names, elm names are all over the map. In particular, both of the names "red elm" and "rock elm" each are used to refer to numerous different Ulmus species, even though in both cases the species that they refer to have characteristics that are different enough that they should NOT be give the same name.

In a vivid demonstration of why it is that believers in common names versus botanical names are sometimes so vehement in their condemnation of botanical names, there are a particular set of TEN different botanical names that you may find used with various common names but they are all synonyms (that is, although they are different botanical names, they all refer to exactly the same species --- so much for the uniqueness of botanical names). The "primary" name is Ulmus Minor and the synonyms are U. Campestris, U. Carpinifolia, U. coritana, U. foliaceae, U. glabra, U. micrantha, U. microphylla, U. nitens, and U. sparsa

A common domestic in the USA, it often has interlocked grain and frequently has excellent bending properties.

One of the indicators that a wood is elm is the "feathering" (caused by the open pores in flat cut surfaces), which can be really pretty. Here are a couple of examples of what I mean. The "feathering" can be seen even more clearly in the enlargement. At first glance, expecially right near the feathering area, this can be confused with oak, but a small amount of experience makes it clear that the two are pretty easy to tell apart (for one thing, the rays always show up in oak and are clearly not the same as in elm).

my samples: the colors are quite accurate (except as specifically noted).

red elm planks and closeup

sample plank and end grain sold to me as red elm / slippery elm / Ulmus rubra

end grain closeup of the piece directly above

both sides of a sample plank of slippery elm / Ulnus rubra

end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above

English elm sample plank and end grain

end grain closeup of the piece directly above

both sides of a sample plank of winged elm / Ulnus alata

end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above

both sides of a sample plank of Chinese elm / Ulnus parvifolia

end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above

both sides of a sample plank of Siberian elm / Ulnus pumila

end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above --- there is just a little too much yellow in these two pics

the second pic is the end grain of the first piece so you can clearly see that this is flat cut. Contrast this raw, rough end grain with what it looks like after sanding (but no finishing agent) in the bowl at the bottom of this page. The bowl pieces are from the same plank as this sample.

these samples are from a couple of sections of a different plank. It is rift sawn and is considerably darker and duller than the first plank and has a much more uniform grain pattern. The samples below are from a different lot and show a much more lively elm, not just because they are flat cut rather than quartersawn but also because the wood is more colorful than this plank.

closeup and end grain of the 2nd piece directly above

cut from the same long plank as the one directly above, this one is shown dry and then moistened with water

small piece and end grain

end grain closeup of the piece directly above

two sides of a piece cut from a nicely figured red elm plank --- the color is exact

the first pic is the same as the one directly above it except that the wood has been sprayed with water just to show how nice the grain pattern is with a finishing agent. The second pic is to show the end and side grain of the same piece.

end grain closeup of the piece directly above

a set of thins cut from a plank from the same lot as the one that yielded those samples directly above --- the color has been overcorrected and shows too much red; these pieces should have the exact same color as the previous samples

sample plank and end grain sold to me as American elm / Ulmus Americanan. This sample plank, although not advertised as such, is clearly of a crotch area and thus is not representative of how the lumber looks --- this lack of representativeness is common in the samples I bought from the IWCS.

end grain closeup of the piece directly above

two pieces of the same long spalted elm plank and a closeup of one section

small plank cut from the larger one above and sanded for the pic, and an end grain shot. NOTE: this image is TERRIBLE at showing the grain, but if you click on it, the enlargements are good.

end grain closeup of the piece directly above

front (sanded) and back (rough) of a piece sent to me for identification --- red elm, I believe

a couple of flat cut red elm veneer sheets (first pic) and some closeups from them

This flat cut red elm veneer sheet was loaned to me by John Koehn whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.

quartersawn red elm veneer

quartersawn red elm veneer with small ray flakes that didn't show up well in the direct shot so I've added an angled shot that shows them somewhat better

quartersawn red elm veneer with ray flakes, and a closeup --- the color is too light; should be the darker brown of the piece directly above.

gray elm veneer long sheet and closeup --- the yellow color in the distance view is not correct --- the closeup has the correct color

one side of an American white elm plank and a closeup

the other side of the plank directly above, and a closeup

American white elm plank and end grain --- this was cut from the larger plank above

end grain closeup of the plank directly above

The Wood Book pics

flat cut, quartersawn, end grain
American elm (Ulmus Americana, also listed as white elm and water elm)

flat cut, quartersawn, end grain
rock elm (Ulmus racemosa, also listed as cork elm, cliff elm, and white elm)

flat cut, quartersawn, end grain
slippery elm (Ulmus fulva, also listed as red elm and moose elm)

flat cut, quartersawn, end grain
winged elm (Ulmus elata)

various elm pics from The Wood Book --- both levels of enlargement are available for each of the 3 views of each species

web pics

NOTE: names used from here down are as found; some of them are possibly incorrect
elm names are VERY confusing and I've just done the best I could

just plain elm
American elm / white elm
red elm / slippery elm
cedar elm
Chinese elm
English elm
European elm
gray elm
Siberian elm
everything else ("misc")

listed as just elm and/or Ulmus spp. (which is the same as just "elm")

elm plank with wet and dry sections

flat cut planks listed either as just elm or as elm / Ulmus spp. (which is the same as "just elm")

rift cut planks listed either as just elm or as elm / Ulmus spp. (which is the same as "just elm")

quartersawn planks listed either as just elm or as elm / Ulmus spp. (which is the same as "just elm")

plank and closeup, just listed as elm and with a demonstration of how the same camera and lighting can give widely different color results depending on how close the camera is to the wood (although there may have been some color manipulation on one of the pics)

crotch slabs just listed as elm

both sides of a bowl blank just listed as "elm"

turning stock just listed as "elm" with no further designation

crotch turning block just listed as elm

pen blanks made from an elm crotch

veneer just listed as elm

burls just listed as elm

burls just listed as elm (the middle shot is a closeup of the left pic) --- I'm dubious about the strong red color but cannot say with any authority that it can't be correct.

burl veneer just listed as elm

spalted elm turning stock and planks

listed as just elm burl veneer but I believe it to be what is normally sold as carpathian burl veneer, which I show on a separate page

bowls just listed as elm

vase listed as elm

elm burl bowl by Steve Earis

burl bowl just listed as elm

listed as American elm or white elm and/or Ulmus americana

American elm flat cut, quartersawn, and end grain

American elm, flat cut

American elm, quartersawn

quartersawn plank listed as American elm / Ulmus Americana

white elm planks --- the planks in the 2nd pic have been moistened for the pic

plank listed as white elm / Ulmus americana

American elm crotch, cut by Jeff M. who posted these pics

- - - - - - - - - - a whole slew of pics, also posted by Jeff M., of a large American elm tree that he is sawing up - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - - - end of pics by Jeff M. - - - - - - - - - -

bowl blank and turning stock listed as American elm --- note that the turning stock is identical to one listed by the same vendor as "red elm", which makes me dubious about this vendor's care in naming woods

veneer listed as American elm

an almost unbelievable piece of spalted elm that is reportedly solid throughout even though the spalting is obviously quite advanced.

red elm (or slippery elm) and/or Ulmus fulva or Ulmus rubra
(or one of the other Ulmus species called red elm)

red elm flat cut, quartersawn and end grain

red elm planks

plank listed as red elm / Ulmus rubra

red elm log

red elm planks and a closeup

red elm flat cut and quartersawn planks; the grain shows better in the enlargements

red elm plank with wet and dry sections

plank listed as red elm heartwood

rustic red elm planks

plank listed as slippery elm

turning stock listed as slippery elm

bowl blank and turning stock listed as red elm --- note that the turning stock is identical to one listed by the same vendor as "American elm" which makes me dubious about this vendor's care in naming woods

veneer listed as red elm

veneer listed as American red elm

flat cut and quartersawn veneer, both listed as American red elm / ulmus rubra veneer

red elm veneer --- I believe this piece must have been watered or oiled

listed as quartersawn red elm veneer although the 2nd pic is clearly NOT quartesawn, but rift cut --- vendors tend to not use the term rift cut, perhaps believing that it is not widely understood, so on something like this that is rift cut but for the most part appears very close to quartersawn, they just list it as quartersawn.

spalted red elm

three views of a spalted red elm plank

red elm vase

red elm vase --- although the color is conceivably due to a finishing agent, I think it's likely just poor photography

red elm bowl blank and red elm bowls

bowl listed as slippery elm

bowl listed as red/slippery elm and hollow form listed as red elm

cedar elm

these pics were provided by a correspondant whose name, I am embarrased to say, I have lost track of. The sender was outside the USA, I recall, and said this wood is "cedar elm" which is Ulmus crassifolia. The first two pics are a raw plank and end grain and the second two are closeups of a different plank that has a coat of polyurethane.

Chinese elm

Chinese elm planks

Chinese elm burl turning stock

Chinese elm pen blanks

planks listed as southern chinese elm (left) and northern chinese elm (right)

English elm

English elm crotch

pippy English elm that has been moistened (upper right corner is still dry for comparison)

English elm burl

English elm pin burl

English elm bowl, turned and photographed by Eric Smoot who tells me the color is quite accurate. Thanks for the pic, Eric.

9" diameter English elm (Ulmus procera) bowl by Steve Earis who tells me the clunky look is because if was one of his first. I know the feeling exactly, as my own first bowl was very thick. New turners usually do not trust either the wood or themselves ... both come with experience and as one can see from numerous other bowls on this site, Steve is now quite an accomplished turner. Both levels of enlargement are available, so you can really see the grain.

English elm platter

European elm

plank listed as European red elm

plank listed as European white elm

European elm veneer, flat cut

European elm veneer, quarterawn

European elm burl veneer and cluster burl veneer

Eureopean elm burl veneer, all from the same vendor and listed as European elm / Ulmus carpinifolia

gray elm

plank listed as American gray elm

plank listed as gray elm

veneer listed as gray elm

gray elm burl veneer

gray elm bowl by Kathy Marshall

Siberian elm

Siberian elm planks

Siberian elm turning stock

three views of a set of 4 Siberian elm planks in 2 book-matched pairs. The first pic is the raw wood and the other two pics show the planks from the other side and moistened with mineral spirits