Chinese Elm Bonsai

Chinese Elm Bonsai
By Kevin J. Riley

The Chinese Elm is native to China, Korea, and northern Vietnam and was introduced to Japan as a tree that was ideal for bonsai. The Chinese elm makes a good bonsai tree for beginners because it is hardy and forgiving to pruning mistakes.

An interesting feature of the Chinese elm is that it has small tightly arranged leaves making it a good candidate for bonsai. The bark of the Chinese elm also varies from smooth to rough with unique and interesting textures. Bonsai that have a smoother bark need more care than a Chinese elm with a more rough bark and should be kept in mind when choosing a bonsai tree for beginners.

Bonsai created from the Chinese elm can do well in full sunlight to shade making it ideal for beginners who need more flexibility with their garden plant placements. During the winter the Chinese elm should be sheltered from the elements but allowed to go dormant.

The Chinese elm needs to be kept moist and should be watered year-round with special attention during the spring and summer months. Care should be taken in the summer months to ensure the bonsai does not dry out. The Chinese elm should be placed in a shaded area during this time.

Pruning should be done in the early spring. When cutting back new growth on a Chinese elm care should be taken to leave a couple of buds just below where the bonsai pruned. This will help promote new growth and assist in the training of new branches.

Repotting of the Chinese elm is only needed about every three years when the bonsai tree out grows the container. The Chinese elm should not be pruned less a month before until or after the repotting to avoid damage to the bonsai. Care should be taken not to remove more than about ¼ of the root ball to ensure proper health of the Chinese elm bonsai.

Kevin J. Riley has studied and observed the art of bonsai for 20 years with his father James J. Riley. He hosts the website http://www.theartofbonsaitrees.com

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