Chinese elm bark turning brown
- Thread starter Kevtan650
- Start date
leatherback
The Treedeemer
wait and enjoy the peeling bark.
Mature chinese elm have peeling bark
Mature chinese elm have peeling bark
Is it normal in your opinion by looking at those posted pictures?
WNC Bonsai
Omono
The areas of brown spots are lenticels, specialized tissue that allow gas exchange between the atmosphere and the interior of the tree.
Is it normal process on Chinese elm tree?
Gabler
Masterpiece
The green is turning to brown in an irregular pattern.
WNC Bonsai
Omono
Yes, the orange lenticels are characteristic on the bark.
leatherback
The Treedeemer
It looks pretty normal to me. It COULD be there are a few sunspots, but I do not think so.
I would focus my attention on a goor pruning session though. Else you run the risk of loosing the low branches.
I would focus my attention on a goor pruning session though. Else you run the risk of loosing the low branches.
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
Agree that it is natural for this sort of Chinese elm bark to change colour at certain times of the year. The older, outside layers of bark die and change colour then peel off in patches leaving new bark in oranges and grey colours. It's one of the features of this form of Chinese elm.
Some dead branches are to be expected on Chinese elm. It will usually be lower and inner branches which don't get enough sun. The tree doesn't waste energy on branches that don't produce food because they are too shaded so they die.
Looks like this tree has been allowed to grow as much as it can with little or no pruning. You may be able to reduce dying branches by pruning the longer branches more to allow more light into those lower and inner branches.
Chinese elm respond very well to pruning so you can chop all long branches way back to bare wood if necessary. It will make lots of new buds on the remaining bare sections and keep growing.
Some dead branches are to be expected on Chinese elm. It will usually be lower and inner branches which don't get enough sun. The tree doesn't waste energy on branches that don't produce food because they are too shaded so they die.
Looks like this tree has been allowed to grow as much as it can with little or no pruning. You may be able to reduce dying branches by pruning the longer branches more to allow more light into those lower and inner branches.
Chinese elm respond very well to pruning so you can chop all long branches way back to bare wood if necessary. It will make lots of new buds on the remaining bare sections and keep growing.
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
I agree that the top of this tree is in desperate need of a very hard pruning. You're losing branches because the top growth is shading them out. I'd reduce all of those branches by at least half, probably more. The tree looks pretty healthy and will likely respond with heavy backbudding on what's left.
Chinese elm is sold as "lacebark" elm at nurseries because of the exfoliating bark. As the tissue underneath the exterior bark grows and expands, the outer portion (which is dead and is no longer useful in circulating nutrients) is sloughed off. The patchy character of that shedding gives the name lacebark, as it produces a multi-colored surface. The process is like painting a balloon, when the balloon (tree) expands with more volume, the paint cracks and peels off.
Chinese elm is sold as "lacebark" elm at nurseries because of the exfoliating bark. As the tissue underneath the exterior bark grows and expands, the outer portion (which is dead and is no longer useful in circulating nutrients) is sloughed off. The patchy character of that shedding gives the name lacebark, as it produces a multi-colored surface. The process is like painting a balloon, when the balloon (tree) expands with more volume, the paint cracks and peels off.
Bonsai Nut
Nuttier than your average Nut
Yes. Some cultivars flake more, some flake less. It is one of the characteristics of the species. I just snapped this photo of one of the trees in my nursery. On older trees the bark displays a puzzle-piece pattern.
On your tree I believe some of the marks to be minor scarring from when they wired the tree to the stone.
leatherback
The Treedeemer
yes, as mentioned, you need to really brune this back so it can be a bonsai, rather than turn into a shrub without any lower or inner branches.
