What would you do with this Drake elm?

[ardent_gardens]

I got this Drake elm a few days ago and I’m struggling to come up with the best solution for it. There’s not a lot in the way of lower branching, so I figured that creating a Chinese literati style tree (like the one pictured in the book) would be fun. At least then it would harmonize well with the right angle trim on the pot I selected for it.

Current plan is to air layer the top portion off and proceed with the Chinese literati style, although I admit that I’m more moved by styles reminiscent of trees you’d find in the North American landscape (as I didn’t grow up in the Huangshan mountain region).

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[BrianBay9]

In my opinion not the most promising material as it stands now. I'd plant it in the ground this spring and grow it out for a few years.

 

[ardent_gardens]

Wouldn’t that further the distance between the bottom branch and the surface roots?

 

[ardent_gardens]

In my opinion not the most promising material as it stands now. I'd plant it in the ground this spring and grow it out for a few years.

Wouldn’t that further the distance between the bottom branch and the surface roots?

 

[misfit11]

Wouldn’t that further the distance between the bottom branch and the surface roots?

Growing it won't stretch that distance. Trees grow from the apical meriistem (top). Regardless, Brian is suggesting you grow it to thicken the trunk. After it's thickened to a size you like, you chop it down. New buds will then form below the chop and you treat one of them as the new top. This creates taper and movement in the tree. This is often how bonsai are created.

 

[misfit11]

Elms have a unique ability to grow new buds from the cambium layer. This means you could chop this anywhere you want (even as low as at the soil level... or below!) and it will sprout.

 

[Gabler]

Bunjin Part I—What IS This Weird Thing?

Bunjin get a bad rap or a badass rap. There’s also those who will pass it by on the bench without comment. I figure the no comment is the most interesting reaction. I thought it would be fun to exp…

crataegus.com

 

[ardent_gardens]

Bunjin Part I—What IS This Weird Thing?

Bunjin get a bad rap or a badass rap. There’s also those who will pass it by on the bench without comment. I figure the no comment is the most interesting reaction. I thought it would be fun to exp…

crataegus.com

Thanks, I hadn’t quite connected “Chinese literati” with Bunjin yet for some reason

 

[Shibui]

I got this Drake elm a few days ago and I’m struggling to come up with the best solution for it.

The reason you are having trouble seeing a design is there's nothing to design with. You bought a tree with no low branches, give it a few days of thought and give up?
No scale in the photo so I'm guessing the trunk is around finger thick? That's pretty immature. It's almost impossible to find a bonsai in such stock so you need to look forward to the future. Imagine what could grow if you did certain things now.
Grow it on to get a thicker trunk is a very common theme and has already been suggested.
There are many other alternatives with stock this young and undefined.
It's an elm. Broom style is classic elm growth pattern so you could aim to produce a broom style bonsai. It already has the required vertical, straight trunk. Now just need the branches. Fortunately elms sprout very well after a trunk chop. Pick a spot that's about 1/3 of the height of the tree you want and chop. Actual height will depend on trunk thickness and your own preferences.
Next Spring lots of new buds should emerge around and just below the chop. Select 3 well placed shoots and remove the rest. Allow your chosen shoots to grow all year to gain strength and thickness. The following winter/Spring chop the new shoots and repeat the process to build up a new canopy of branching. In 3-5 years you have a broom style bonsai. In 10-15 years you have a showable broom style bonsai - assuming it survives that long.
Here's my virtual recommendation.

Initial cut at red line.
Develop new branches (brown)
Aim for a rounded canopy (green)