Herbal Fact Sheet: Slippery Elm
Aug 26th, 2010 | By admin | Category: Alternative Medicine, Featured, Herbs, Slippery ElmSlippery Elm has traditionally been valuable for its strong fibrous wood and as a soothing tea for digestive tract problems.
Common Name(s): Slippery Elm, Red Elm, Gray Elm, Soft Elm, Moose Elm, Indian Elm
Latin name: Ulmus rubra
Description: Similar to American Elm, Slipper Elm is a deciduous tree that can grow up to 20 meters in height. The leaves are 10–18 cm long and have a rough texture, coarsely double-serrate margin and an oblique base.
Therapeutic Uses: Slippery Elm has traditionally been used to soothe the digestive tract. It is usually ground into a powder and then made into a tea. The FDA has approved it as a safe demulcent substance, despite the lack of an investigative paper trail.
Additional Notes: The inner bark of the Slippery Elm is a strong fiber that can be spun into a twine or rope and used for any number of purposes, including rope, maps, bow strings and jewelry. The wood was traditionally used to create hubs for wagon wheels, as it is very shock resistant due to the interlocking grains that make it up.
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