Slippery elm is a tree species native to North America. It can grow up to 80 feet tall with a broad, spreading canopy. The bark is thick and rough, and the inner bark is very mucilaginous. The leaves are oval shaped with coarse serration and rough texture. Small green flowers appear before the leaves in clustered fascicles. The fruit is a small, one-seeded samara with hairs only over the seed. The buds are chestnut-brown and covered in a dusty pubescence. Historically, slippery elm was used to make barrels, baskets, chairs and other wooden items. It grows along stream banks and slopes, especially on limestone soils.