MIRAI YATSUBUSA ELM

@MACH5 definitely, my tree is a 1 gal bought from Brent last year... trunk is around 1" now and I was surprised to find roots ranging from 1/4" to 1/2" all over the pot. I selected the best ones and potted them so hopefully I will have a few mini trees to work with. I plan on using this as a mother tree for air-layering. I think the bark looks way better than my Seiju, but I am liking the growth on the Seiju over the yatsubusa. Maybe once it gets established on the grow bed it will really take off, who knows.

Love seeing your progressions, your trees speak a lot to me. Weird, I used to hate trees and vegetation.
 
Maiden69 said:
@MACH5 definitely, my tree is a 1 gal bought from Brent last year... trunk is around 1" now and I was surprised to find roots ranging from 1/4" to 1/2" all over the pot. I selected the best ones and potted them so hopefully I will have a few mini trees to work with. I plan on using this as a mother tree for air-layering. I think the bark looks way better than my Seiju, but I am liking the growth on the Seiju over the yatsubusa. Maybe once it gets established on the grow bed it will really take off, who knows.

Love seeing your progressions, your trees speak a lot to me. Weird, I used to hate trees and vegetation.
Click to expand...

Sounds great. Yatsubusa is worth propagating it. Not nearly as common as other Chinese elms. Nothing like bonsai to rekindle your love for trees and nature 😊

The Seiju elm leaves for me are too tiny and the growth pattern almost looks "mechanical" for lack of better way to describe it. The Yatsubusa leaves are slightly larger and more pointy. The growth pattern for me feels more natural than Seiju.
 
MACH5 said:
Sounds great. Yatsubusa is worth propagating it. Not nearly as common as other Chinese elms. Nothing like bonsai to rekindle your love for trees and nature 😊

The Seiju elm leaves for me are too tiny and the growth pattern almost looks "mechanical" for lack of better way to describe it. The Yatsubusa leaves are slightly larger and more pointy. The growth pattern for me feels more natural than Seiju.
Click to expand...
As of now, both leaf sizes are almost identical. Maybe because my Seiju is already in a Rootpouch on the grow bed since last year and the yatsubusa was still in the nursery container? I'll try to take some quick pics, I don't think I have progression threads on either one of them. Last year the Seiju went from a 3' tree to an 8' long spike, leaving it this year to see how much it thickens the lower trunk, then getting air-layered to allow a different lead to take over to change direction.

I have one other Chinese Elm, a regular mallsai tree I bought from Brussels online. It's been growing alone as I hate the S shape they gave the tree, but that one will also be used for propagation once it thickens enough.

I noticed the guy-wire job, are you using copper wire? I started using stainless safety wire because I can use a super thin gauge and have the same if not more strength as copper and that it is nearly invisible from a distance. The only draw back is that with copper you can adjust the length faster, as it is thicker. The skinny wire, you can twist all day long and it barely covers any distance.
 
How do you manage to keep the moss off that gorgeous bark with all the crevices? I find my rough be barked trees to be so attractive to mosses…
 
Maiden69 said:
As of now, both leaf sizes are almost identical. Maybe because my Seiju is already in a Rootpouch on the grow bed since last year and the yatsubusa was still in the nursery container? I'll try to take some quick pics, I don't think I have progression threads on either one of them. Last year the Seiju went from a 3' tree to an 8' long spike, leaving it this year to see how much it thickens the lower trunk, then getting air-layered to allow a different lead to take over to change direction.

I have one other Chinese Elm, a regular mallsai tree I bought from Brussels online. It's been growing alone as I hate the S shape they gave the tree, but that one will also be used for propagation once it thickens enough.

I noticed the guy-wire job, are you using copper wire? I started using stainless safety wire because I can use a super thin gauge and have the same if not more strength as copper and that it is nearly invisible from a distance. The only draw back is that with copper you can adjust the length faster, as it is thicker. The skinny wire, you can twist all day long and it barely covers any distance.
Click to expand...

For the most part I use aluminum since it hurts me "wasting" copper for guy wire jobs. Aluminum does a fine job as long as you don't over stress it as you twist it.
 
JudyB said:
How do you manage to keep the moss off that gorgeous bark with all the crevices? I find my rough be barked trees to be so attractive to mosses…
Click to expand...

Judy, I use this product. It works great! I also use vinegar. One benefit of this product is that it is, to a degree, harmless to foliage. A little overspray not a problem but avoid spraying foliage directly.

Screen Shot 2023-02-28 at 8.27.45 PM.png
 
Cool, if you ever decide to try other options (saving your aluminum wire for actual wiring), below are the ones I have used for tie downs on trees and other crafts.

Safety Wire, the one I have is .025, but the .040 would be better for heavy branches.


Rebar Tie-downs, 16ga annealed steel, does work-harden when twisted.

And since I have carpal-tunnel and its a chore to hold pliers while twisting I use the safety wire pliers for the job.
 
Maiden69 said:
Cool, if you ever decide to try other options (saving your aluminum wire for actual wiring), below are the ones I have used for tie downs on trees and other crafts.

Safety Wire, the one I have is .025, but the .040 would be better for heavy branches.


Rebar Tie-downs, 16ga annealed steel, does work-harden when twisted.

And since I have carpal-tunnel and its a chore to hold pliers while twisting I use the safety wire pliers for the job.
Click to expand...

Cool, thank you. Happy to check it out. Always willing to try new things.
 
MACH5 said:
Sounds great. Yatsubusa is worth propagating it. Not nearly as common as other Chinese elms. Nothing like bonsai to rekindle your love for trees and nature 😊

The Seiju elm leaves for me are too tiny and the growth pattern almost looks "mechanical" for lack of better way to describe it. The Yatsubusa leaves are slightly larger and more pointy. The growth pattern for me feels more natural than Seiju.
Click to expand...
This growth pattern issue is especially true for larger specimen seiju, good point. On shohin sized trees though this is not a problem at all, and of course the tiny leaves are perfect. The other thing about seiju is they are very prone to branch die off over winter, for seemingly no reason. It barely got below freezing here this year and still lost branches. Has yatsubusa presented this problem too? I believe I've read yatsubusa doesn't suffer from this nearly as much as seiju
 
JoeR said:
This growth pattern issue is especially true for larger specimen seiju, good point. On shohin sized trees though this is not a problem at all, and of course the tiny leaves are perfect. The other thing about seiju is they are very prone to branch die off over winter, for seemingly no reason. It barely got below freezing here this year and still lost branches. Has yatsubusa presented this problem too? I believe I've read yatsubusa doesn't suffer from this nearly as much as seiju
Click to expand...

Joe, I have not seen this on Yatsubusa. Some very small, weaker branchlets do die back from being shaded but nothing significant.
 
Coming together. Some of the larger guy wires holding a few thick branches upwards were finally cut off. Although we often regard shohin as some of the hardest trees to do well, larger trees such as this massive elm has proven to be not an easy task. The sheer scale has and continues to pose a real challenge. The balance between natural and refined is something I am constantly facing. I take great care in how I manage the branches and foliage to prevent this elm from getting too manicured which is all too easy to fall into. Still going strong at an estimated age of 100 years.

A root graft which has proven very difficult to take is still in progress. I photoshopped out of the pic for now. This year I will try something different and give it one more try.

I agree with Don that the pot has now become too small. So a new and larger one is planned for next year.

The tree today.

IMG_5453 copy.jpg

IMG_5458 copy.jpg

IMG_5457 copy.jpg
 
This tree has real presence and character, making it look old and crotchety like me. It is my kind of tree.
The pictures suggest the canopy is taking the energy from the lower branches. This is probably in part due to 2D pictures but beware and be sure its not happening. I'm sure you already know that elms tend to be apically dominant and lower branching can weaken.
Great tree!
 
Maybe If you airlayer the top..

chop.jpg

and regrow it
chop1.jpg

Then the pot will fit ;)

It is a bit drastic option, and will take some time, but keep in mind that you could improve the tree and sell the airlayer too 🤣

Probably you already have seen this one from sidiao webpage
p61 (1).jpg

For me it is the perfect combination between a tidy and natural ramification for an elm.

Cheers
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

A
Last (ever?) Mirai Tree Sale
6 7 8
Replies
143
Views
18K
reddog
R
yashu
New content from Mirai…
2 3 4
Replies
73
Views
4K
namnhi
namnhi
pandacular
Evolution of Mirai Live
5 6 7
Replies
133
Views
10K
RJG2
RJG2
Rodrigo
Mirai new nutrition concepts
4 5 6
Replies
104
Views
17K
leatherback
leatherback
rockm
Mirai tree sale
13 14 15
Replies
296
Views
65K
Wood
Wood
Back
Top Bottom