SLIPPERY ELM

Proper Use

• The inner bark is collected in spring and early summer from the bole and larger branches.  It is tough and flexible. Ten year-old bark is considered the best quality. For best results the powder needs to be greyish or fawn-colored, not dark or reddish.

• Chopped bark is suitable for poultices, but the inner bark is considered best for making teas.

• Use a teaspoon of the powdered bark mixed with water to make a smooth paste. 

• Boiling water (or milk) can be added to the paste with cinnamon, orange peel, nutmeg and honey for an easy, nutritious gruel.

• Slippery Elm is considered extremely valuable and it is advised that every household have it on hand but it is considered "at risk" by United States Plant savers so it is imperative that you find and use a vendor that can certify that the bark has been ethically harvested.

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Dosage

 

CAPSULES

The standard dose for an adult is 4 capsules at a time and, repeated two, three, four or even more times a day, for at least a few days.

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SLURRY

If the condition is quite bad and the area of damage in the gut is large, it may be best to use the Slippery Elm as a powder, either in a slurry or cooked in a gruel. One heaping tsp of Slippery Elm powder equates to about 5 grams of herb and this is equivalent to about 10-12 capsules. 

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GRUEL

Making Slippery Elm gruel is just like making a thin porridge, put one or two heaped teaspoons or more of Slippery Elm Into a saucepan, add a liquid (milk or water) to make a paste.  Heat the mixture over a low flame or element, gradually add more milk, water or both until the desired consistency has been achieved. Slippery Elm can absorb a lot of liquid and, as gruels are meant to be thin, you can add more liquid as you go if it is getting too thick. Add honey or sugar, cinnamon or nutmeg to the gruel to improve palatability. 

 

• Infusion - 1-2 tsp of powdered root stirred into 1/2-1 cup of warm water three times daily

• Capsule - 200g three times daily for bronchitis

• Poultice - mix coarse powdered root with enough boiling water to make a paste

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Formulary

 

 

ESSIAC FORMULA (a folk formula for cancer therapy)

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• Burdock root (Arctium lappa, L),  67.7%

• Sheep Sorrel herb  (Rumex acetosella, L),21.6%

• Turkish rhubarb root  (Rheum palmatum), 5.0%

• Slippery elm inner bark  (Ulmus fulva) 5.0%

 

Later, this formula was developed into an eight ingredient formula: thistle, burdock root, kelp, red clover, sheep sorrel, slippery elm bark, turkish rhubarb root, and watercress.

SLIPPERY ELM COUGH DROPS​

• ¼ cup slippery elm powder 

• 3 tablespoons raw honey {I use local raw clover creamed}

• 3 tablespoons raw cacao powder or carob powder

• ½ - 1 teaspoon ground Ceylon cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon organic vanilla extract

1. In a small bowl, add all ingredients. With clean hands, mix to combine until it forms a dough.

2. Break off small pieces of dough {about ½ - 1 teaspoon} and roll into little balls. You can also roll dough into a thin “snake” and break off small pieces to roll into balls.

3. Place in a bowl and leave out on the counter covered. They will start to dry out a little becoming more like a lozenge. They can be consumed right away as is or when they have dried.

 

SLIPPERY ELM TEA

• 1 Tbsp slippery elm bark (powdered)

• 1 c  boiling water

• 1 Tbsp organic unsulfured blackstrap molasses or other sweetener

• 2-3 oz  light coconut milk or other milk

• 1 dash cinnamon or nutmeg for added flavor if desired

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WELLNESS HERBAL TEA BLEND

• 2 Tablespoons organic Slippery Elm Bark

• 2 Tablespoons organic Marshmallow Root or organic Marshmallow Leaf

• 1 Tablespoon organic dried Elderberries

• 1 Tablespoon organic Red Clover Blossoms

• raw, organic honey

This recipe makes about 3-4 cups of tea or infusion. I like to make it in my Tea-to-Go glass tea infuser to take along with me, but you could also make it up in a Mason jar or other large mug. Put all the herbs in the container and cover with 3 cups or so of boiling water.  You can also make this up and let it infuse overnight, if you'd like a stronger decoction. Stir in the honey to taste.

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Cultivation

The slippery elm tree is a member of the elm family, with a

geographic distribution ranging along the eastern and central United States.

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Due to Dutch Elm Disease, there are very few mature Slippery Elm trees left in nature and is considered a species of “Special Concern” in Rhode Island, and is believed to be extirpated in Maine. The preferred habitat, floodplains, has historically been a target of development for towns.

 

Due to the declining wild populations of U. rubra it is important to not use any wild-harvested bark. There are many alternatives to this widely used herb such as Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis), Comfrey (Symphytum sp.), and Mullein (Verbascum sp.).

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1. Slippery elm prefers part shade to sun , good water drainage, and a limestone soil. 

2. Sow seeds in deep pots or plug trays. Sow ten seeds per pot and separate after germination.

3. Sow on soil surface and cover with 1/4 inch of soil, tamping securely and keep evenly moist, cool (70 degrees) and in the shade until germination occurs (about 30 days).

4. Gather slippery elm samaras in spring when they are ripe. You can knock them from branches or sweep them from the ground. 

5. Harvest of bark is done before April or after June.

6. Allow to dry until hard and brittle.

7. Flowers emerge in late-winter or early-spring in the form of small clusters. These flowers become circular winged-seeds, and usually drop by late-spring.