Elm

[Wood Doctor]

Virginia Has Many Red Elm Trees?

There seems to be quite a bit of red elm left here.

Virginia still has lots of red elm? That's amazing to me. Perhaps Virginia escaped the Dutch elm disease last century that ravished most of the Midwest and the Midlands.

I am impressed.

 

[wackydeejay]

Virginia still has lots of red elm? That's amazing to me. Perhaps Virginia escaped the Dutch elm disease last century that ravished most of the Midwest and the Midlands.

I am impressed.

I probably have 3+ cords worth of it waiting to be split now. I can't speak for the rest of the state, but there's quite a bit of it still growing in my neighborhood. I hadn't paid much attention to it until very recently to be honest.

 

[Beefie]

I heated 3/4 of this winter with elm, when that ran out I went to ash. My wife asked me if we had anymore of that good firewood that coals up awsome this ash doesn't coal up at all. Don't we have any more Elm. My reply was if you give me a little ash I will bring in some more Elm:hmm3grin2orange:

Beefie

 

[freemind]

I burn mostly elm.

If you happen to cut it green, with the bark on, it takes two years to be DRY. Elm, especially the white elm, is stringy and has a very tight fiber makeup.

Red is definately my preference.

I burned some oak this winter, and I have found that I perfer elm over oak. Elm burns hotter and lasts longer.

Elm also is good about not producing alot of ash.

 

[wackydeejay]

I had no idea so many people liked this stuff so well. Some of my red elm should be ready this winter. Most of it won't be ready until next winter. I can't wait to test it out myself.

 

[Wood Doctor]

More Red Elm Info

I had no idea so many people liked this stuff so well. Some of my red elm should be ready this winter. Most of it won't be ready until next winter. I can't wait to test it out myself.

If it is truly red elm, you will be impressed beyond belief with the heat that it produces, no sparks, ease of lighting, and no cinders left behind. Red elm is incredible firewood.

Look for thick, scraggly bark. Like other elm species, it will fall off easily when dry and unlike other elm, it will split rather easily when dry with a surprisingly straight grain.

 

[Forky]

I can't say how good elm is in a fireplace or wood stove but in my OWB it ROCKS!

Elm is a very under rated firewood in my opinion.

Absolutely +1! Most of the wood for my OWB comes from fence lines farmers want cleared in ne Iowa; which is 75% elm. It is some heavy, dense stuff that burns awesome. Comparable to oak IMHO.

 

[Whitespider]

Earlier in this thread, on page one, when I said that I thought Red Elm (Slippery Elm) was the rival of Red Oak I figured I was setting myself up to be "flamed" clean of this board... guess I was wrong. Many will say that Elm isn't worth messing with... it's all junk. Most haven't burned Red Elm, or have burned what they believe was Red Elm when it actually was not. So... how do you know if it really is Red Elm?

The easiest, and simplest way to identify Red Elm is by the leaves. Red Elm has the classic elm shape but with one unique characteristic; the leaves are rough, really rough, like 80-grit sandpaper. But much elm cut is standing-dead, and that makes quick identification a bit more difficult. One clue is size; although Red Elm can grow to massive size it is typically smaller (diameter) than the American Elm standing-dead in the same area. Red Elm will also (usually) have a longer trunk, forking much higher up than American Elm, and a narrower canopy. The absence of bark is another cue; Red Elm tends to loose all of it's bark clean to the ground while American Elm tends to hold some on the main trunk and crotch areas. The bark-less trunk and branches of standing-dead looks different, but not as noticeable unless they're standing side-by-side; in sunlight, American Elm will appear "bleached" white, Red Elm more of an off-white, or very, very pale reddish-gray/brown. Red Elm, because it's harder/denser/stronger, will also tend to hold more of the small branches, down to thumb size diameter.

Of course, cutting and splitting dead elm is the final, "Yep, it's Red Elm alright!" American Elm has white wood, often a bit punky (especially on the north side of the trunk) and stringy as all-get-out when split, and the trunk tends to be wet, real wet, up to 10-15 feet high. Red Elm has reddish-brown wood, usually solid all the way through, splits much cleaner (but will still give a splitter a good work-out), and a lot dryer in the trunk; often dry (enough) to toss in the stove on the same day it's cut.

Holding a dry split of American Elm in one hand, and Red Elm in the other is like holding a split of Pine in one and Oak in the other... the difference is overwhelming.

 

[mizzou]

Earlier in this thread, on page one, when I said that I thought Red Elm (Slippery Elm) was the rival of Red Oak I figured I was setting myself up to be "flamed" clean of this board... guess I was wrong. Many will say that Elm isn't worth messing with... it's all junk. Most haven't burned Red Elm, or have burned what they believe was Red Elm when it actually was not. So... how do you know if it really is Red Elm?

The easiest, and simplest way to identify Red Elm is by the leaves. Red Elm has the classic elm shape but with one unique characteristic; the leaves are rough, really rough, like 80-grit sandpaper. But much elm cut is standing-dead, and that makes quick identification a bit more difficult. One clue is size; although Red Elm can grow to massive size it is typically smaller (diameter) than the American Elm standing-dead in the same area. Red Elm will also (usually) have a longer trunk, forking much higher up than American Elm, and a narrower canopy. The absence of bark is another cue; Red Elm tends to loose all of it's bark clean to the ground while American Elm tends to hold some on the main trunk and crotch areas. The bark-less trunk and branches of standing-dead looks different, but not as noticeable unless they're standing side-by-side; in sunlight, American Elm will appear "bleached" white, Red Elm more of an off-white, or very, very pale reddish-gray/brown. Red Elm, because it's harder/denser/stronger, will also tend to hold more of the small branches, down to thumb size diameter.

Of course, cutting and splitting dead elm is the final, "Yep, it's Red Elm alright!" American Elm has white wood, often a bit punky (especially on the north side of the trunk) and stringy as all-get-out when split, and the trunk tends to be wet, real wet, up to 10-15 feet high. Red Elm has reddish-brown wood, usually solid all the way through, splits much cleaner (but will still give a splitter a good work-out), and a lot dryer in the trunk; often dry (enough) to toss in the stove on the same day it's cut.

Holding a dry split of American Elm in one hand, and Red Elm in the other is like holding a split of Pine in one and Oak in the other... the difference is overwhelming.

This is a perfect description of the standing dead red elm. I also believe red elm is the elm morel hunters look for when hunting mushrooms. Rep sent for a great post.

 

[Hedgerow]

Whitespider. We took this tree out this weekend. I assumed it was an American Elm, But the tree was still alive without foliage. Solid but for part of the trunk. The wood is brown with a lighter ring around the outside. Do red Elm get this big? If so I've not seen any. Also, we counted rings and came up with 99.

 

[wackydeejay]

I thought I'd throw in a couple of pics of the red elm that mysteriously showed up here last week.

View attachment 176890
View attachment 176891

 

[wendell]

Excellent description, Whitespider. I burn mostly elm and red is far superior to American. Unfortunately, where I am cutting now is 75% American and 25% red, 95% is standing dead. Almost half of the American is too punky to take but the red is all hard and heavy as a rock. Fortunately, I bet somebody will buy the American. :msp_wink:

 

[Wood Doctor]

Red Elm Stash

Last year a logger brought in several elm logs at my biomass dropsite. He said, "Edwin, I think this is slimy old p__s elm. Bark is scraggly and thick. Nobody seems to want it, so have a few logs. I'm out of here."

I looked it over, grinned a little, and winked at him. He winked back. Then he left, and I pulled out the MS 361 and cut the 20" dia. long logs to 18" lengths. Then I carefully lined up the rounds horizontally in a stack.

The ends are now deep orange, checked up, and the bark is falling off. I'll split them next month. It might be the best red elm I've seen in years. Wish I had more of it. opcorn:

 

[wackydeejay]

Last year a logger brought in several elm logs at my biomass dropsite. He said, "Edwin, I think this is slimy old p__s elm. Bark is scraggly and thick. Nobody seems to want it, so have a few logs. I'm out of here."

I looked it over, grinned a little, and winked at him. He winked back. Then he left, and I pulled out the MS 361 and cut the 20" dia. long logs to 18" lengths. Then I carefully lined up the rounds horizontally in a stack.

The ends are now deep orange, checked up, and the bark is falling off. I'll split them next month. It might be the best red elm I've seen in years. Wish I had more of it. opcorn:

You guys have me excited about burning this red elm when it's ready. I know it's going to be a while, but it'll be worth the wait.

 

[mizzou]

You guys have me excited about burning this red elm when it's ready. I know it's going to be a while, but it'll be worth the wait.

If your excited now, just wait till tou burn it. Get all you can. properly stored it should age for you like fine wine.

 

[robespierre]

I don't know what elm I have but it sure smells bad upon splitting with the Fiskars. It has a nice red color inside.Could it be Red elm or do all elms smell badly? It splits easy and cleanly green.

 

[svk]

Thread resurrection of the week award goes to @robespierre !

 

[robespierre]

Do I get Like points for thread resurrecting?

 

[Whitespider]

Do I get Like points for thread resurrecting?

You get a "like"...
Need pics to identify the elm.
*

 

[robespierre]

if I wasn't such a mong I could figure out how to post pictures.