|
Tue, Nov 6, 07 at 14:14
| Last week, I bought a "Japanese elm" from IKEA. Now I realize I need to know more before I can properly care for it. It is a fairly thick stemed (1" round) little tree with leaves primarily at the top that has been trained in a pretty S curve, then lopped off at the top so that the little leaves grow in a sort of rounded shape. I have looked all over the internet, and can't find information on what kind of elm this actually is; the stem doesn't seem to be gray, but rather brownish with olive tones. The leaves are quite small - 1 cm on average, and the brown/yellow leaves can be easily just blown off. Outside or inside? Training the shape? Care? Thanks to anyone who can help! |
Follow-Up Postings:
|
| Do the leaves have symmetrical 'V' teeth all around? Then it's probably an Ulmus parvifolia (Chinese elm). It COULD be a Zelkova serrata which is very hard to distinguish from the elm unless you know what to look for, but both belong outside for life. While the 'S' shape is a standard mass-produced style of 'mall-sai', and not really desirable in serious bonsai, if you like it, it's fine. Now is not the time to be thinking much about styling apart from keeping the foliage mass(es) relatively neat - there's lots of time for shaping later on. Right now you want to concentrate on keeping it alive and well, so go to www.bonsai4me.com for more detail on your very popular type of tree. It's best to water well only when the top ~ 1/2" of the soil is dry but that's relative depending on how big the whole thing is. Really what you want is a gritty, fast draining bonsai mix, and not the (likely) peat based potting soil it probably came in which can yellow leaves, so watering more often won't leave the bottom half of the soil soggy all the time and will allow necessary O2 in there. When you repot, use 1/2 grit (perlite & aquarium gravel all mixed) to 1/2 soil, but a more coarse type with larger particles which a garden center could provide. The tree likes lots of sun, but in TX, especially in summer, you should prop a reflective tile or something against the pot to keep roots from cooking and don't let it otherwise dry out too much. And it is cold hardy to at least 20 F. (tho' much colder) and will be happier being able to go dormant (and possibly lose leaves) in winter when, hopefully, it does get cooler there. Your best learning bet will be a local club, so try to find one so you see how local growers who really know the environment, take care of the trees and can show you how to repot, prune (and when to do it), etc. |
Please Note: Only registered members are able to post messages to this forum. If you are a member, please log in. If you aren't yet a member, join now!
Return to the Bonsai Forum
Instructions
- You must be a registered member and logged in to post messages on our forums.
- Posting is a two-step process. Once you have composed your message, you will be taken to the preview page. You will then have a chance to review the contents and make changes.
- After posting your message, you may need to refresh the forum page in order to see it.
- It is illegal to post copyrighted material without the owner's consent.
- HTML codes are allowed in the message field only.
- No advertising is allowed in any of the forums.
- If you would like to practice posting or uploading photos, please visit our Test forum.
- If you need assistance, please Contact Us and we will be happy to help.