Cedar Elm

Cedar Elm (U. americana pictured)

Common Name(s): Cedar Elm

Scientific Name: Ulmus crassifolia

Distribution: South-central North America

Tree Size: 65-100 ft (20-30 m) tall, 3-5 ft (1-1.5 m) trunk diameter

Average Dried Weight: 49 lbs/ft³ (780 kg/m³)

Basic Specific Gravity: .59

Hardness: 1,320 lb_f (5,870 N)

Bending Strength: 13,500 lb_f/in² (93,100 kPa)

Elasticity: 1,480,000 lb_f/in² (10,210 MPa)

Shrinkage: Radial: 4.7%, Tangential: 10.2%, Volumetric: 15.4%, T/R Ratio: 2.2

Color/Appearance: Heartwood is a light to medium brown, sometimes with a hint of red. Sapwood is a pale white or cream color.

Grain/Pore: Has a medium texture and moderate-sized pores. Grain is sometimes straight, but commonly interlocked.

Durability: Rated as moderately durable to non-durable in regard to heartwood decay, but is susceptible to insect attack, and living trees are very commonly destroyed by Dutch elm disease.

Workability: Can be a challenge to work because of interlocked grain, especially on quartersawn surfaces. Planing can cause tearout and/or fuzzy surfaces. Glues, stains, and finishes well.

Smell: There is no characteristic odor associated with this wood species.

Safety: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Elm in the Ulmus genus has been reported as a sensitizer. Usually most common reactions simply include eye and skin irritation. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.

Price Range: Should be moderately priced, though availability from mature trees has been greatly diminished by Dutch elm disease.

Comments: Elm trees are commonly infected with Dutch elm disease, a fungal disease spread by elm bark beetles. D.E.D. has wiped out millions of Elm trees worldwide.

Common uses for elm include: boxes, baskets, furniture, hockey sticks, veneer, wood pulp, and papermaking.

Related Species:

American Elm (Ulmus americana)

Dutch Elm (Ulmus x hollandica)

English Elm (Ulmus procera)

Red Elm (Ulmus rubra)

Rock Elm (Ulmus thomasii)

Winged Elm (Ulmus alata)

Wych Elm (Ulmus glabra)

Scans/Pictures: There are currently no pictures of this exact wood species, but a similar species within the Ulmus genus is being substituted (U. americana). If you’d like to contribute a wood sample of this specific species to be scanned, (even small pieces of veneer can be sent), please use the contact form.

American Elm (sanded)