The Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia) is one of the most well liked trees readily available for doing bonsai. Year after year the Chinese elm is among the top trees for making bonsai. A specialty bonsai nursery will often suggest this particular plant to first time bonsai owners. The Chinese elm has a reasonably predictable pattern of growth and it’s not necessary to be a professional pruner because this tree is very forgiving. Additionally, the tree is slower growing and so allows the novice to understand and become accustomed to training and looking after it.
In it’s native environment the Chinese elm tree can grow up to 60 feet tall. Excellent for bonsai, the trees leaves are generally small. They are leathery in look and darker green in color with a slightly serrated edge. This plant’s acceptance can also be to some extent because of the fact that it may be grown both outdoors and inside. If grown outside it is going to follow the familiar life-cycle of a deciduous tree, but in the house it will be an evergreen.
One of the advantages to growing a Chinese Elm bonsai tree is that it is not at risk of Dutch elm disease. For all of these reasons the Chinese elm makes a fantastic tree for the newbie bonsai grower.
Watering Your Chinese Elm
Given that bonsai are planted in coarse dirt as well as in shallow containers they can dry up rather quickly. In certain instances, you might need to water the tree daily.The best way to tell if your Chinese elm bonsai needs water would be to feel the soil. Put your finger into the soil to about a 1 / 2 in . deep: if the top 1 / 2 inch feels dry then it is time to water your bonsai. The most effective method to water your bonsai is to place it in the sink, or in a shallow container, and allow it to sit in the water for a few minutes until it has absorbed enough from the water drainage holes in the bottom. Remove your bonsai from the sink or container after it has been soaking for 5-10 minutes and after that allow it to completely drain all excess water.
The rule with most bonsai plants would be to never let the soil dry up completely, however don’t keep it soaking wet all the time. It’s not hard to understand when to water your bonsai – just check the soil on a regular basis. It’s easy to check the moisture level each day. If you can feel moisture, then you may not need to water. However, in case your bonsai is in a very small pot and/or it’s a hot or windy day, or if the bonsai is pot-bound, then you may have to water. If one part is dried out, you will want to water that part.
Getting the Best Levels of Sunlight
Being adaptable to their environment is one of the Chinese elm tree’s most important qualities. Not every hardy deciduous trees may be grown indoors, but since the Chinese elm is so adaptable it can survive indoors and can stay green all year round. If hardened off to the cold little by little, they’ll drop their leaves in the autumn and be regarded as deciduous trees, so you have a couple of choices. As soon as they are acclimated, Chinese elms flourish in full sun—and lots of sun also helps to keep the leaves smaller sized. It is crucial to be sure that the leaves are accustomed to sunlight before you put the tree in strong sunlight. When you expose it to too much sun too quickly you run the risk of sun burning the leaves. Your Chinese elm bonsai also needs good air circulation. Be sure you keep the plant in a well ventilated spot if you are growing it inside.
If your Chinese elm originated from a warm climate it might not be accustomed to cold environments. It is probably not smart to keep these Elms too cold the first year or two. Even if grown indoors your Chinese elm may drop leaves through the winter season which is due to the decrease in natural sunshine as the days are shorter. This is not unusual. Even though your Chinese elm bonsai is a hardy plant it may nevertheless be damaged by severe winter conditions of intense cold and wind so take measures to guard it from harm.
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