Chinese Elm leaves

The leaves on my Chinese Elm are going from green to red/brown. It's getting sun early morning up to noon and then shade. Maybe to much sun or an indication of another problem?

Is it the whole tree, or a leaf here and there?

If the tree, it is probably a root problem (watering, severe root pruning, etc.)

Have you repotted it or moved it recently? I'm in a very different climate to you, but I'm experiencing something similar. I've a few Chinese Elms that are all layers and cuttings from a "mallsai" bought twenty years ago. The leaves stay green over winter in the fairly sheltered spots I keep them in, however I put a potted one in the ground during the mild February weather in a slightly more exposed place and all the leaves went red soon after and dropped. New buds are just appearing now.

Don't people growing them indoors find they can lose their leaves if moved to very different conditions?

I bought it from a local nursery about 1 1/2 months ago. The spot where they had it was outdoor and in shade. It's new home is still outdoors but it gets sun up till noon. Other than the change in color all the leaves are healthy...not one has died and fell off.

Can you take a picture -- including a close-up of the leaves?

It is possibly just a case of sunburn, and the tree will adapt on its own after a short time.

It might just be being deciduous, and preparing to drop old leaves as the new buds open. On a couple of mine the leaves persist through the winter then exhibit this kind of behaviour (South East England; trees outside all winter).

Your right probably a combination of changing from shade to partial sun....sunburn!