"Survivor" Winged elm - Ulmus Alata

Winged elm, Ulmus alata.

A very slow growing elm, that does not like getting dried out here in South Florida. This particular tree has been grown from a root cutting since about 25 years.
It is my very first elm. I have posted it on IBC years ago. I almost lost it due to a hot summer a few years ago and had to plant it back into a training pot. The tree
is fine now and can be transplanted next year. Basic structure is set, now begins the fine ramification process.

Winged elms are extremely slow growers, which is actually great for where I live. Now, they will shoot some long branches, but the main trunk and the main branches take forever to gain girth. A great tree to learn patience.











Best,
Dorothy

Dorothy, you are right--they are slow to put on girth. I have one potted, and a couple more in the ground. Much slower than Chinese elmes!
Is the first photo of the tree in the oval pot the most recent, or the last one in a rectangular pot (either grown out or not yet cut back) the more recent photo? Looking good, either way.
Oliver

Oliver Muscio wrote:Dorothy, you are right--they are slow to put on girth.  I have one potted, and a couple more in the ground.  Much slower than Chinese elmes!
Is the first photo of the tree in the oval pot the most recent, or the last one in a rectangular pot (either grown out or not yet cut back) the more recent photo? Looking good, either way.
Oliver

Oliver, the last photo is from a few days ago.

Thanks,
Dorothy

I guess the first photo is from before that hot summer problem. The last photo shows a great recovery!
Oliver

Very nice work, Dorothy.

Zach

This is just my opinion and I suspect that it won't be a popular one but I will express it anyway. I like this tree very much (I'm sure that most on this board will agree with that). I find that the trunk is thick enough. I find it to be a realistic thickness as it is in a good proportion as compared to the height of the tree and the amount of foliage. The part of my post that others probably will disagree with is that I don't care for some OTHER trees in which the trunk is overly thick. Such bonsai trees do not look reasonably proportioned to me. So, to sum up, I have a good impression of this tree. It is very attractive and in good, realistic, proportion. But I do not like trees that are unrealistically thick unless they often occur that way in nature.

Beautiful tree Dorothy and nice recovery.

Barry M I totally agree that many trees we see as Bonsai are out of proportion in being to short. I personally like trees that are on the taller more slender side of the 6:1 - 12:1 ration of height to Girth.
With many of my trees, people have side that they are too thin, but to me they look much more elegant that a short stump.

Ken

Nice plant, very charm "nebari"
Congratulations!

Very nice recovery.

Barry/Ken, There is room for both. Some (me included) like them both because I do not limit my view to "realistic" tree bonsai. Actually, bonsai (to me) is an exaggerated (to some extent) representation of trees to create illusion of age and size despite being diminutive.