Chinese Elm Advice!

[RileyJFDB13]

Hello,

Looking for some tips of my elm and would like to hear some feedback.

I got this Elm because of the character and the shari from what looks like die back from a cut made at some point in this plants life.

Being that the side with the shari on the tunk exhibits the best feature of the tree what can be done as far as branches go? Feel free to draw cuts or where branches would look good if developed(lots of buds on the trunk right now)
Also I Just repotted it last week into a more secure pot and it does not have much roots very little actually and I was curious if it would be better to make cuts one the new growth becomes a little longer so that roots develop or would it not harm the trees root development to make those cuts now?

Thanks again!

 

[PeaceLoveBonsai]

I like it! The bark is super cool, for sure. I assume it lives outside, correct? If it were mine, and based on your re-pot, I'd be inclined to do nothing. Might be best to get the tree in great health before doing much more to the styling. I'd sit back, let it recover and let it get super bushy...then ponder my next moves. Being that it's an elm, it may recover well by summer...then again, it may not. Either way, I wouldn't do much more now. Keep us updated.

 

[cockroach]

I would leave it if I were you. Make sure to put it in a warm sunny spot. Preferably outside as I have had issues with them indoors even in subtropical climate here.

Leave the tree to grow stronger. It looks a little weak at the moment imo.

Good luck with it

 

[sorce]

That is a pleasing tree.

Except for the "middle of the E" branch.

But I'd let it grow, and possibly ground layer it for a nice spread of roots when it's banging.

I'd buy that!

Sorce

 

[sorce]

Oh and...

This is code talk..
But it's there...

Cut that C out of the V!

I think it will look better without evidence of that little dead nub...the C!


Sorce

 

[MichaelS]

You need to cut off just about everything. This is normal with CEs. They will throw out buds everywhere and you can pick and choose what you want. Any straight lines will be distracting to the eye if you don't get rid of them now.
You will probably need to wire three times and after that just cut/grow. They like fertilizer. Within reason, the more you give the faster you'll get there. I would say 5 years is possible. Only add 1/2 inch of growth at a time. That is, let grow to 6 and cut back to 1 or 1/2/. Later, 1 inch would be too much straightness. Prune according to the direction of the bud.

 

[sorce]

You need to cut off just about everything. This is normal with CEs. They will throw out buds everywhere and you can pick and choose what you want. Any straight lines will be distracting to the eye if you don't get rid of them now.
You will probably need to wire three times and after that just cut/grow. They like fertilizer. Within reason, the more you give the faster you'll get there. I would say 5 years is possible. Only add 1/2 inch of growth at a time. That is, let grow to 6 and cut back to 1 or 1/2/. Later, 1 inch would be too much straightness. Prune according to the direction of the bud.

View attachment 135348

I'm a little surprised at that!

I thought I had your style more or less figured!

I think all those branches, except the "middle of the E" branch, are quite nice.

Of course, I'm looking at them thru future vision goggles, the do need to be cut back for taper.

But I think the curvy branches look odd on this trunk.

I would like to see them at angles +- about 10° of the little crook in the mostly straight trunk.

Clip and grow.

Most important, at least from the sound of it....would be to gain health and start a layer In between the bottom of the Shari and that 1 big root.

This could be a killer Ass tree.

But Nebari or Burn it!

Sorce

 

[MichaelS]

Yes clip and grow but you still need to cut off the straight lines. it's still an elm and they grow as brooms. If you want to go for the relic look, that's ok too but it still should have a vestige of it's ''former'' good days. And on an elm that is ramification; and you don't get straight lines with lots of ramification. And even if you do, it looks wrong on a small tree IMO. If you lose all your ramification of the past and are left with just a few main branches here and there, those branches should not be straight like they are on this tree now. Eg, say you end up with something like this below. You can remove 50%....80% but still have what's left as a hint of the past. You can de-construct the tree down or build it up but you can't lose sight with ratios. (length of a straight line : size of the tree) If you know what I mean.




Something like this





Or this...

 

[sorce]

Yes...

More ziggy and zaggy than curvy.

I totally agree with it needs to be cut back and regrown.

I was surprised because my future vision is based on your thoughts on a natural looking tree.

For me, after properly grown back out and ramified, those branches can easily rest in the same general area as they are now, with that slight movement the trunk has, and be a very nice representation of a true elm.

This is a great study on...

Seeing the tree's future based on where it is now....

But totally needing to regrow it to get it there.

I am focused on The story of the Shari.

The position of the current branches agree with it.

The traumatic event caused the tree to split into essentially 3 New canopies....

Here, it is the power lines, not a traumatic event....
But the same idea.

A shattered vase, regrown into three smaller vases.

Sorce

 

[RileyJFDB13]

Thanks for all the advice guys!
What E branch are you speaking of I just want to make sure Im looking at the correct one haha.

Also as far as ramification goes do you think that there shoukd be any lower branching developed if possible? No way lower but as far as you picture you made which by the way thanks for that!

 

[sorce]

 

[RileyJFDB13]

Since your both here how bout some advice on this seiju elm!

Bought this because I liked the base but I knew something had to be done about the crazy straight upper trunk.

After thinning.
I ended up air layering the top off and chopped the top off to make a tree out of the first branch.


I Found this even crazier base when I started to repot and I was thrilled!
Any advice on getting to that nice ramified seiju elm? This pot its temporary until I get what I want as far at the trees shape is concern I might even go into a training pot the size down.

 

[sorce]

Since your both here how bout some advice on this seiju elm!
View attachment 135581
Bought this because I liked the base but I knew something had to be done about the crazy straight upper trunk.
View attachment 135582
After thinning.View attachment 135584
I ended up air layering the top off and chopped the top off to make a tree out of the first branch.
View attachment 135585

I Found this even crazier base when I started to repot and I was thrilled!View attachment 135586View attachment 135587 View attachment 135588View attachment 135589 View attachment 135590
Any advice on getting to that nice ramified seiju elm? This pot its temporary until I get what I want as far at the trees shape is concern I might even go into a training pot the size down.

Don't kill it!

It is officially in my top 10 fave starts!

Fucking Raw!

Sorce

 

[ConorDash]

Since your both here how bout some advice on this seiju elm!
View attachment 135581
Bought this because I liked the base but I knew something had to be done about the crazy straight upper trunk.
View attachment 135582
After thinning.View attachment 135584
I ended up air layering the top off and chopped the top off to make a tree out of the first branch.
View attachment 135585

I Found this even crazier base when I started to repot and I was thrilled!View attachment 135586View attachment 135587 View attachment 135588View attachment 135589 View attachment 135590
Any advice on getting to that nice ramified seiju elm? This pot its temporary until I get what I want as far at the trees shape is concern I might even go into a training pot the size down.

I really like that little guy... Feels like you struck gold finding that base under the soil line! Looks really good, really good potential I think.
I think it just has to be left to grow, induce budding all over and get some strong growth going, cut back after that, etc etc.. 3-4 years. Boom, awesome looking thing.

 

[sorce]

Sounds good!

I'd let the top after the straight part grow wild without care...

While training that branch that follows its movement for keeps.

You could do mad small with sieju...

So making nice taper transitions and maybe even starting some branches is probly gonna be a this year project.

Sorce

 

[M. Frary]

seiju

That's a yatsabu Chinese elm.
The Seiju has a different growth pattern and smaller rounder leaves. The top one is seiju.
This is yatsabusa.

 

[just.wing.it]

Nice little elms! I like!

 

[M. Frary]

Thanks!
The top one,the Seiju I no longer have. The voles loved it.
It was 27 inches tall. I loved that tree.
The yatsabu I just got last year. It needs some work but it is pretty cool.

 

[just.wing.it]

Thanks!
The top one,the Seiju I no longer have. The voles loved it.
It was 27 inches tall. I loved that tree.
The yatsabu I just got last year. It needs some work but it is pretty cool.

Ah yeah, I thought I recognized the seiju....so sad....damn voles.

 

[RileyJFDB13]

This post was not orginally about this tree but you all loved it so heres the progression so far this year.


I am currently trying to deicide between these two fronts, the cut sight is healing nicely and wont be visible for very long. Also calcium deposits, before i do my best to scrub them off im looking for better solutions. Water in southern california sucks so I plant on using filtered water on this tree after I fix the current hard wated deposits.