2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
Elm / Ulmus / is a genus of angiosperms of the Elm family / Ulmaceae /. It includes between 30 and 40 species of trees distributed in the wild in the Northern Hemisphere from Siberia to Indonesia and from Mexico to Japan. The different species are difficult to distinguish due to their easy hybridization and the presence of a large number of local variations.
The most pronounced healing effect is the red elm / Ulmus rubra./ It originates from the eastern parts of North America and is a deciduous tree that reaches a height of 20 meters, with a 50 cm circumference of the stem at the base. The heart of the tree is reddish-brown, hence the name of the tree. The leaves are 10 to 18 centimeters long, with a rough surface. They have large serrated edges, pointed towards the top and rounded at the base.
The flowers of the tree are formed before the leaves, in early spring and are usually arranged in inflorescences of 10 to 20 flowers. The fruits are characteristic of elm - winged, oval in shape, in the center of which is the single seed. The buds and twigs of red elm differ from other types of elm in that they are covered with moss, there is also a difference in terms of flowers, which in red elm have very short stalks.
There are three species in Bulgaria: white elm / Ulmus laevis /, field elm / Ulmus minor / and mountain elm / Ulmus glabra /.
Elm species
Mountain elm is a tree up to 40 m high, its bark is dark gray and longitudinally cracked. The young twigs are densely hairy and thick, its buds are up to 7-9 mm, dark brown, covered with rusty hairs. Its leaves are asymmetrical at the base, with hard bristles. Mountain elm blooms before leafing. The fruit is a dark nut in the middle of a winged, slightly incised at the tip. It is found near rivers and streams up to 1400 m above sea level.
The Polish elm is a deciduous deciduous tree with a well-developed root system. In Bulgaria, the field elm is found in areas up to 1000 m above sea level. Field elm is a moisture-loving species and grows mainly on more fertile soils near water bodies. The plant has a thick stem and a well-developed crown. The crown of the field elm is well shaped and dense, and the tree reaches a height of 35-37 meters.
The tree has a gray-brown bark and the branches over 1-2 years old are strongly cracked and have formed rectangular tiles. The younger branches are covered with a smooth and thin bark, which is sometimes covered with white hairs. The leaves of the field elm are simple and ovoid.
Characteristic of the leaves of the field elm is that they are asymmetrical to the main vein of the leaf blade. The leaf blade has 8-10 pairs of lateral veins, and they and their branches end in the teeth at the edge of the leaf.
Field elm blooms in early spring before its leaves appear. The flowers of the plant are bisexual and are collected in inflorescences. The flowers are composed of an fused perianth, which is composed of several sections. Perianth is dark red in color. Inside the flower there are 4 - 5 stamens and a pistil with a two-part stigma.
The fruits of the plant are formed after the flowers bloom in early summer. The fruits are dry and hollow and resemble a walnut in shape. On the outside of the fruit there are formations that help the fruit to be easily carried by the wind.
Ulmus laevis or white elm is a tree species of the Elm family and reaches 40 m in height. It is found in Central and Eastern Europe and the Caucasus. It most often grows at altitudes below 400 m, mostly near rivers. Its bark is gray-brown, with shallow longitudinal cracks.
Composition of elm
The main ingredients in red elm bark are polysaccharides. The basic water-soluble polysaccharide has a linear structure and consists of alternating galacturonic acid and rhamnose. It also contains galactose and glucose. Polysaccharides form the characteristic glue that is responsible for most of the beneficial effects of red elm. In the bark of red elm are also found phytosterols - beta-sitosterol, citrostandienol, dolichod, fatty acids - oleic and palmitic; tannins, calcium oxalate, cholesterol and others.
The bark of the field elm contains tannins, and the leaves contain barium sulfate.
Growing elm
Elms are unpretentious plants. They need deep garden soil. The elm grows successfully in the sun or light shade. It tolerates pruning well, is drought resistant, and many species are also cold resistant. The tree is propagated by root shoots or seeds. It grows rapidly at an early age.
Elms are attacked by many insects, especially deciduous trees (elm deciduous trees, etc.), as well as dangerous fungal diseases (Dutch elm disease, which periodically causes mass drying of elms).
To save the tree, cut and burn the infected branches as soon as you see them. If the whole tree is infected, you will have to destroy it, but do not leave the dead tree in the garden. Their life expectancy is 80-120 years, and sometimes they live much longer. Elms are often used in landscaping.
Collection and storage of elm
The bark of the young branches of Ulmus rubra and Ulmus minor is used as a remedy. It peels in the spring before the sap movement in the tree begins. The collected bark is cleaned of accidental impurities and dried in the shade or in an oven up to 40 degrees.
Benefits of elm
Elm has antidiarrheal, burning and hemostatic action. It is used in the treatment of diarrhea, bleeding, gonorrhea, uterine bleeding, etc. Externally for tampons for inflammation of the bladder (cystitis) and inflammation of the uterus (metritis).
Bulgarian folk medicine recommends a decoction of the bark of elm for skin rashes, scrofula, stomach and intestinal pain, etc. Elm is also used for compresses for purulent wounds, dry lichens, paws against boils and others. Red elm bark contains glue - a thick substance that turns into a gel when mixed with water. It is believed that this gel covers the lining of the throat, soothes inflammation, reduces irritation of the mucous membranes and prevents cough.
The soothing effect of the glue makes it a suitable tool for the treatment of various problems of the digestive system. It is believed that after taking the herb, it forms a protective and soothing layer on the lining of the intestines and stomach, and relieves ulcers, heartburn and other gastrointestinal disorders.
Red elm stimulates nerve endings in the digestive system, which leads to increased secretion of mucus, which has a protective function on the lining of the stomach and intestines. Taking red elm, in the form of a decoction or tincture, relieves pain in gastric and duodenal ulcers.
The plant also helps with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), in which the acidic stomach contents return to the esophagus and can cause irritation and ulceration of the lining of the esophagus. The intake of red elm, creating a protective layer on the mucous membranes, protects the esophagus from the damaging effects of stomach acids.
Red elm finds application externally, in the form of paws. It is used to soothe and support the healing process, in small wounds, small burns, boils and abscesses, rashes and ulcers.
Elm wood is characterized by strength and viscosity and is easy to process, used in the furniture industry and construction.
Young shoots are used for animal feed (leaves and bark). Elms play an important role in landscaping large and small cities, as well as in protective plantations.
Folk medicine with elm
Decoction of elm is used for diarrhea, inflammation of the bladder. Externally for compresses and purulent wounds, dry lichens, for paws in boils.
Our folk medicine offers the following recipe for a decoction of elm: 1 tbsp. chopped crusts are boiled for 10 minutes in 0.5 liters of water. The strained decoction is taken 1 glass of wine before meals, 4 times a day.
To prepare a decoction of red elm, you need to pour two teaspoons of ground red elm bark with two cups of boiling water and leave the infusion for 3 to 5 minutes. The liquid is filtered and drunk three times a day.
Applied to the skin, red elm relieves pain and itching. It is recommended to mix the coarsely ground red elm bark with boiling water and after cooling to prepare a paw, which is placed on the affected area. But it should not be placed on open wounds.
Damage from elm
There is evidence that the intake of red elm bark may increase the risk of premature birth and miscarriage, so the plant should be avoided during pregnancy and lactation.
