Wych Elm and Hornbeam box

Description

Wych Elm with Hornbeam inlays and a pivot hinge lid with a rich deep red leather interior. Containing one sliding removable tray.

Size 380 x 240 x 95mm

Wych Elm ulmus glabra

Wych elm occurs throughout Scotland, but was originally more common in the south east Borders area, where there were formerly forests of wych elm.

Mature trees can grow to a height of 30m. The bark is smooth and grey when young, becoming grey-brown and fissured after 20 years. Twigs are dark grey and covered in coarse hairs, and leaf buds are hairy, purple-black and squat in shape.

As a result of Dutch elm disease, wych elm is now found very infrequently.

Hornbeam carpinus betulus

The name hornbeam comes from the hardness of its timber – ‘horn’ means ‘hard’ and ‘beam’ was the name for a tree in old English.

Mature trees can reach a height of 30m and live for more than 300 years.

A tonic made from hornbeam was said to relieve tiredness and exhaustion, and its leaves were used to stop bleeding and heal wounds.