Japanese elm... Me likey

[Clorgan]

I reckon this one deserves its own thread, arrived today. I like it a lot One of the nicer pieces I have and great trunk positioning. Going down the multi trunk route.

Thinking of reducing to the red line ish - get rid of that reverse taper. Undecided on grow bed or training pot yet.

 

[Eckhoffw]

Looks like lots of fun! Nice tree.
I personally wouldn’t cut real close to the new leader. But your line looks good!

 

[Shibui]

Japanese elm is usually Zelkova I think which has smooth grey bark. This one looks much more like Chinese elm - Ulmus parvifolia. I have seen others post similar under that name so maybe a supplier uses the name there?
Regardless of common name the tree is a great starter. Chinese elm responds really well to trunk chop and all other trimming. Also easy to strike cuttings so you may be able to strike the bits as cuttings to get a few more.
I agree that the main trunk is a little long and straight with very little taper so the chop will probably improve the trunk. I would also reduce the other trunks in proportion. If you leave them as is when reducing the main trunk the small ones are likely to grow faster and thicken faster. The last thing you need is to have really thick minor trunks.

Watch for clusters of shoots developing. Common in Chinese elm and is most likely the cause of the reverse taper you are seeing in the tall trunk.

 

[TomB]

I agree with @Shibui , Ulmus parvifolia

 

[Clorgan]

Japanese elm is usually Zelkova I think which has smooth grey bark. This one looks much more like Chinese elm - Ulmus parvifolia. I have seen others post similar under that name so maybe a supplier uses the name there?
Regardless of common name the tree is a great starter. Chinese elm responds really well to trunk chop and all other trimming. Also easy to strike cuttings so you may be able to strike the bits as cuttings to get a few more.
I agree that the main trunk is a little long and straight with very little taper so the chop will probably improve the trunk. I would also reduce the other trunks in proportion. If you leave them as is when reducing the main trunk the small ones are likely to grow faster and thicken faster. The last thing you need is to have really thick minor trunks.

Watch for clusters of shoots developing. Common in Chinese elm and is most likely the cause of the reverse taper you are seeing in the tall trunk.

I'm sure you're right about it being a Chinese elm, yes the site description didn't make it clear (attached screenshot). I'd always been confused about the two - thanks for clarifying, I figured someone would correct me if I was wrong!

Yes that trunk is too straight for sure, of course will reduce the others too if I do chop - got to keep that right trunk thicker. I'm mulling it all over, will most likely go ahead. Air layering below the bulge has been suggested - nice idea but not sure I'll bother.

Yes there's so many branches at that bulge, will be sure to be careful of this!

 

[Clorgan]

Looks like lots of fun! Nice tree.
I personally wouldn’t cut real close to the new leader. But your line looks good!

Thanks Not too close incase of die back?

 

[Clorgan]

Began a virt this evening, this is so far... Tried to think more carefully about branch placement than when I've had a go at virts before. Any thoughts?

 

[BobbyLane]

Began a virt this evening, this is so far... Tried to think more carefully about branch placement than when I've had a go at virts before. Any thoughts?

virt looks great, youre a great artist!
you might even find that as it backbuds over the summer you might even choose a lower chop point, depending on positioning. but the red line is a good place to start for now.

 

[Clorgan]

virt looks great, youre a great artist!
you might even find that as it backbuds over the summer you might even choose a lower chop point, depending on positioning. but the red line is a good place to start for now.

Cheers Bobby! But I'll be honest I do it on my phone - there's a bit of tracing involved of the basic shape... I really suck at proportions

Agree the red line cut is the way forward for now at least. Need to get a move on - get the chop and repot done. Buds are starting to swell. Was considering an air layer but will probably just chop and take some cuttings

 

[BobbyLane]

Cheers Bobby! But I'll be honest I do it on my phone - there's a bit of tracing involved of the basic shape... I really suck at proportions

Agree the red line cut is the way forward for now at least. Need to get a move on - get the chop and repot done. Buds are starting to swell. Was considering an air layer but will probably just chop and take some cuttings

if youre going to put it in a bonsai pot i would choose one that is big enough to allow for development. you could probably go with something half the depth of the current pot. not too deep not too shallow.

 

[Clorgan]

if youre going to put it in a bonsai pot i would choose one that is big enough to allow for development.

Agreed. I said repot - still considering the grow bed... But I kind of want it on my bench so

 

[Clorgan]

So final height (if going with my virt) would I think be around 14/15cm. So thinking that would mean a 10cm ish pot? Seems very small!

 

[Clorgan]

Or actually wider for now since it still needs development? Sorry dopey morning brain on, meds and coffee not kicked in yet and trying to put off thinking about work

 

[Clorgan]

So I bottled the chop for now, seems there's different opinions on whether to chop, air layer or leave as is and reduce branches at the bulge. I'd posted it on a facebook group too and several said they'd just reduce the top.

I repotted this aft, few photos here of the process, think it went pretty well. Think my repotting game is definitely improving.

Before the repot I pruned a few crossing branches, dead stubs and reduced to two in some of the more bulgy areas. Took a few cuttings while I was at it.

Given that I'm undecided still whether at a later date to chop or air layer off the bulge up top, or whether to work with it, I'm unsure what to do now? Should I reduce the bulge now or leave? If I should reduce, I'm not really sure how best to go about this - how hard to go on it really.
I know pruning is better done before the repot, but needed to get the repot done this aft!

Hope this all makes sense, would really appreciate some thoughts Sorry for the many questions!

 

[BobbyLane]

i may do these cuts. this will give you some good angles and some taper and eliminate a few more crossing bits i see. the tree will fill back in eventually with finer twigging. ive done them at this time of year and even earlier. secuteuers/knob cutters

 

[BobbyLane]

in autumn i cut this large branch flush, this is whats happening now, its raring to go!

not had any twig dieback on this tree this year, its actually waking up earlier than usual in places, that could be down to the pruning tho.
your tree will be going soon, mini hot spell from mon will probably kick it in gear. if you prune now and seal it will begin growing and callusing in weeks.

 

[Clorgan]

View attachment 363797

i may do these cuts. this will give you some good angles and some taper and eliminate a few more crossing bits i see. the tree will fill back in eventually with finer twigging. ive done them at this time of year and even earlier. secuteuers/knob cutters

I've been back and forth between chopping or layering so many times the last few days

Your cut choices look good. I'm tempted. I guess I could just chop and shove the top in the grow bed and cross several limbs that it might root

I wasn't fussed about layering until @leatherback kindly drew up quite a nice virt...

 

[Clorgan]

in autumn i cut this large branch flush, this is whats happening now, its View attachment 363801raring to go!

not had any twig dieback on this tree this year, its actually waking up earlier than usual in places, that could be down to the pruning tho.
your tree will be going soon, mini hot spell from mon will probably kick it in gear. if you prune now and seal it will begin growing and callusing in weeks.

Looking promising Would you wait till they develop a bit more, then reduce to one new shoot?

 

[BobbyLane]

yeh for sure theres another little clumpy tree in the top bit. so worth layering too

 

[BobbyLane]

Looking promising Would you wait till they develop a bit more, then reduce to one new shoot?

its from the thread my powerful zelkova, yets its in development. if you mean those clustering red buds, no as theyre not needed, they will be rubbed out