Oct
Chinese Elm Bonsai
The Chinese Elm is native to China, Korea, & northern Vietnam & was introduced to Japan as a tree that was ideal for bonsai. The Chinese elm makes a good bonsai tree for beginners because it’s hardy & forgiving to pruning mistakes.
An interesting feature of the Chinese elm is that it has small tightly arranged leaves making it a good candidate for bonsai. The bark of the Chinese elm also varies from smooth to rough with completely unique & interesting textures. Bonsai that have a smoother bark need more care than a Chinese elm with a more rough bark & should be kept in mind when choosing a bonsai tree for beginners.
Bonsai created from the Chinese elm can do well in full sunlight to shade making it ideal for beginners who need more flexibility with their garden plant placements. During the winter the Chinese elm should be sheltered from the elements but allowed to go dormant.
The Chinese elm needs to be kept moist & should be watered year-round with special attention during the spring & summer months. Care should be taken in the summer months to ensure the bonsai doesn’t dry out. The Chinese elm should be placed in a shaded area during this time.
Pruning should be done in the early spring. When cutting back new growth on a Chinese elm care should be taken to leave a couple of buds just below where the bonsai pruned. This will help promote new growth & assist in the training of new branches.
Repotting of the Chinese elm is only needed about every three years when the bonsai tree out grows the container. The Chinese elm should not actually be pruned less a month before until or after the repotting to avoid damage to the bonsai. Care should be taken not to get rid of more than about ¼ of the root ball to ensure proper health of the Chinese elm bonsai.
Kevin J. Riley has studied & observed the art of bonsai for 20 years with his father James J. Riley. He hosts the website http://www.theartofbonsaitrees.com
