Chinese elm

A bit of a progression of a chinese elm i bought a few years ago. The first pic is how it arrived in the garden and the second is today. The pot isnt the right one for it yet. Feel free if you want to suggest one with a virt.

Smithy,, I like it !! nice progression since you first got it.. i have one something like it i have posted for help..mine hada lump i had to carve away...see (my poor elm) ..yours is looking good take care john

Looking good smithy good work

Excellent progress on a nice material!

Only thing I will change is lower the bottom left branch a bit more.

this is the first of the S-curve elms I have ever seen grow to maturity, and it looks way better like this. The foliage is much more refined and looks really good. Perhaps not done, but really good so far. Nice tree!

I'm always up in the air about the S-curve trees, sometimes I can't stand them and sometimes I think they're pretty alright... maybe it's the stereotypical'ness of them? This ones pretty nice looking, definitely like the progress you've made filling it out. It'd be awesome to see with a thicker base, will Chinese elms accomplish this over time? Maybe I'll pick up a cheap s-curve c. elm and give one a shot... they're supposed to grow like weeds where I'm located.

Thanks for the all the comments.
For an s bend its not too bad, it was the bark that really attracted me at the time. I guess its the age that does it . Its quite a good size also,here is a pic for size.

Dario i went and looked at that branch but i don't want to just bend it down while all the others aren't bent down. As it fills up some of the new branches will come down from there .

The branches are all the same size- any intention of letting the lower ones grow out?

BonsaiJim wrote:The branches are all the same size- any intention of letting the lower ones grow out?

Yes

what is the forum called with the pictures of what i used to look like. then i can compare them to this?

Tom1k9 wrote:what is the forum called with the pictures of what i used to look like. then i can compare them to this?

This is the first picture i have of it when i got it . There isn't another forum with earlier pictures on.

Hi Smitty,
I love your tree, I LOVE the pot. But, I think you will have better growing results with a larger pot; bigger/thicker root flare will result. Certainly let the branches fill out. The lower left branch can be brought down a bit and needs to be much larger to balance the tree. The first right branch angle is good; it just needs to grow out. The bark is awesome! I hope you're making cuttings!
Please send the pot to Gordonsville, Virginia for better results ... on this side of the pond
Best,
Todd

this was last pic taken at Burrs . No i haven't been taken cuttings . I try not to do cuttings and seeds these days as i get bit overwelmed with trees. The bottom branches are being grown out . Its staying in this pot this year ,too many other bits to repot this year . This one is happy for now so i 'm not concerning myself with it.

With a larger pot
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Yes would love a pot like that. I have no money for a new pot for this one at the moment and had to put it in the best one i had in the shed just sitting around. Next year i will be looking for something along the size of that one.

Its the same old question but if you dont mind - what potting medium are you using for this?
I've never really had any joy with Ch. Elms.

dave fish wrote:Its the same old question but if you dont mind - what potting medium are you using for this?
I've never really had any joy with Ch. Elms.

i've had the same Ch. elm 20 years now and the only years it was poor were the ones when i used pure akadama / kiryu etc. it is my only tree that likes 'potting compost' so i use john innes, perlite, grit and a little akadama mixed in. Outdoors all the time, feed plenty, prune hard and repot every year or two if you want to to make them grow fast.

other than that is it a low maintainance tree

My chinese elms are in a mix of molar clay , pumice and a bit of bark. I only protect them if the temp starts to get below -5 for days and days.

GOOD JOB!

Thanks muchly! I will try again with a different mix!

Smithy wrote:My chinese elms are in a mix of molar clay , pumice and a bit of bark. I only protect them if the temp starts to get below -5 for days and days.

Smithy, the tree looks a lot better than when you had it, can you tell how you protect it when the temperature drops too low? The reason I ask because I lost 2 very good looking Elms (one after the other) by the cold
Now I have a third one and I don't want to lose it again

Xuan

Thanks Mike


Xuan , I'm not sure what temp you get where you are but here i just pop mine into the workshop when we are getting temp well below zero for days on end. When we had a bad winter a couple of years ago it was still reaching below zero in my workshop but did rise up above that in the days. To be honest i don't do a lot about protecting my trees most of the time ,only when it looks like it is going to stay frozen for days do i put the chinese elms in the workshop as they are the ones i paid money for

Hi Smithy,

Very nice prorogation, beautiful tree. I like it very much.
I have one of this tree too, not nice like yours . unfortunately cause collapse of a big tree on some of my bonsai two days ago (we have a big storm in Israel now)
I lost some of its main branches. so... in short... do you sell it ?

Efi

Thats a real shame Efi .Sorry i think i'm going to keep this one .Postage may have been a bit too much anyway


I took a pic of it today . I did find a Tony Remington pot on my shelf that i may pot into this season . I'll see how things are getting on then with all the other work.

Smithy wrote:this was last pic taken at Burrs . ... ...

Nice couple! The yellow color contrasts so nicely your black sweater, Smithy! I love your elms, both of them!