Red elm has a grayish white to light brown narrow sapwood with a heartwood that is reddish brown to dark brown in color. The grain can be straight, but is often interlocked. It is a grainy wood and when flat sawn, the grains can resemble snake skin. Elm is a medium density hardwood. As Elm is a ring porous wood, it accepts stain very well making the annual growth rings very pronounced. Red Elm is a specialty species as it is very difficult to acquire.