Seiju Elm Oddity

This past fall I bought a pencil thick Seiju from a grower in N. California. When I recieved it, it was in beautiful yellow fall colors. I immediately moved it from the 2 1/2 inch shipping pot to a gallon pot, watered it, and forgot about it. A week later, in November, the leaves turned FROM YELLOW TO GREEN. My jaw hit the floor when I noticed. From horticultural experience I know this shouldn't happen. Over Christmas the leaves fell during a hard freeze, in January little green buds popped everywhere, and now it's fully leafed out and not yet March. Please someone explain. None of my other deciduous trees have even started budding out.

That's not too unusual. The tree was badly stressed for some reason when you got it, possibly from the stress of shipping or it could have been in bad shape before it was shipped (think twice before patronizing that place again!). Many deciduous trees will have an "early" fall if stressed, complete with red and yellow leaves. You repotted, watered, possibly fertilized and it loved it. It was warm enough then that it produced new leaves -- which couldn't withstand the subsequent freeze. It's still healthy so you now have leaves. That part may be a bit unusual, but be thankful.

If the nursery was from a warmer climate than Clarkdale(?), that could explain the early leafing. Genetics. If you still could have some cold weather in Clarkdale-on-the-Verde bring it in before a frost.

Actually the yellow leaves turned green; it never produced any new leaves after I got it. The leaves on the top of the tree fell off and the yellow leaves on the bottom of the tree were the ones that turned green again. And I recieved the tree in November from zone 9, I live in zone 7. It was only about three weeks between the time the leaves fell and the new buds started swelling. Is that enough time for dormancy? The tree seems healthy. Should I forget about all that happened and just be happy that it's healthy?
Also I bought other elms, a maple, a crabapple, and a quince. Only the quince shows slight bud swelling.

prestontolbert wrote:Actually the yellow leaves turned green; it never produced any new leaves after I got it.

The tree seems healthy. Should I forget about all that happened and just be happy that it's healthy?
Also I bought other elms, a maple, a crabapple, and a quince. Only the quince shows slight bud swelling.

That's odd. Could it have been chlorosis that was resoved when you fertilized?

I'd feed it well this year and wouldn't stress it with any root work or a lot of pruning.

I live in zone 6, and my seju elms are budding and beginning to open even though they are in an unheated breezeway. However, in checking my minimum/maximum thermometer I have had days in the 60s F. Since I know it isn't going to get cold enough inside the breezeway to freeze the leaves, I'm not worried. I'm not sure what happened when you first got it, but elms tend to be forgiving. That's why I tend to stick to elms and maples. Don't worry about it. Just make sure it doesn't freeze at this point. The quince usually buds its flowers in late winter before it leafs out. I do agree with Jim about the seller though. I learned the hard way to stay away from mail order companies. Good luck.

Sounds like a miracle tree that should fetch you millions on ebay. Now you can retire and stay on the IBC for 20 hours a day !!!!!!!!!!!!!



I v had a ficus drop all its leaves and then grow fruit all within in 4 or 5 days. I almost threw it out.

Thanks for all the feedback fellas. I do trust the seller. All the trees I received are in good condition. And I didn't fertilize when I repotted. I left the soil on the root ball and planted with half and half chicken grit and fine pine bark. I usually fertilize with miracle grow, but only in late spring when the leaves are growing. Does that sound ok?

Preston: Most of my Chinese elms bud out in January here in SW LA (zone 9). I know that Arizona has a variety of climates, but your latitude is similar to mine, so a report of elm being green this time of year is not at all surprising.
I agree with recommendations to let it rest this year, but elms are pretty hardy and can take a joke. Never throw away a tree just because it lost its leaves. Lazerus/phoenix stories are common for deciduous trees. If there is green cambium (the layer just below the bark), there is hope for the trees survival. In any event, don't toss one out before mid-summer.

Hi Preston,

Do you have any update about your Seiju elm project?

regards,
Rui